Keir Starmer vows Channel boats crisis 'reset' as he unveils plan to plough £84million into Middle East and Africa to deter migrants at source after abandoning Rwanda flight 'gimmick' as he meets leaders at Blenheim Palace summit

Keir Starmer vowed to work closely with Europe to stop the Channel migrant crisis as he unveiled plans to plough £84million of taxpayers money into trying to stop people making the journey. 

The Prime Minister said the UK will fund social, health and educational schemes in the Middle East and Africa as a 'statement of intent' to try to stop migration at source.

He used a press conference at a meeting of dozens of European leaders at Blenheim Palace to say he was 'resetting' the UK's approach and repeated his attack on the 'gimmick' that was the previous government's Rwanda deportation flights plan.

However, he later refused to rule out the offshoring of migrant processing, saying he was 'a pragmatist' willing to look at 'where cases can be processed closer to origin.'

The PM is hosting premiers including Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz and Giorgia Meloni for the European Political Community meeting.

The talks at the birthplace of Winston Churchill are being dominated by illegal immigration and the Ukraine war - with Volodymyr Zelensky attending to make an impassioned case for more support.

Sir Keir told reporters: 'We are going to deepen our cooperation on defence and security and on illegal migration, where we are resetting our approach and that's been central today.

'We are going to smash the gangs, break their business model and secure our borders.

'We will do this, not by committing taxpayer money to gimmicks but with practical solutions that are in line with international law.

'As director of public prosecutions I saw the work that can be done across borders, to bring terrorists to justice and break up their networks and I simply do not accept that we can't do the same with organised migration crime. And we started that work here today.'

He added: 'To stop illegal migration, we must also tackle it at source, so today I'm announcing £84 million of new funding for projects across Africa and the Middle East.

'That includes humanitarian and health support, skills training, help with job opportunities, and access to education.

'This is a vital part of gripping the migration crisis and it shows how we're going to do business on the world stage.

'We are facing up to the huge problems beyond our shores because these problems echo at home, the effects play out on our streets and in a dangerous world we serve no one and solve nothing by turning inward.

'We have to step forward and lead and that's what we're doing, that's what we've shown here today because it's the best way to uphold our values and keep our people safe.'

The PM hugged and giggled with premiers including Emmanuel Macron and Giorgia Meloni during the European Political Community meeting at Blenheim Palace.

He also put on a warm show with Albania's Edi Rama and Mette Frederiksen of Denmark before they got down to serious political business.  

The talks at the birthplace of Winston Churchill are being dominated by illegal immigration and the Ukraine war - with Volodymyr Zelensky attending to make an impassioned case for more support.

Opening the discussions, Sir Keir underlined his desire for closer ties, insisting the UK was a 'friend and a partner ready to work with you' and 'not part of the European Union, but very much part of Europe'.

And he sent a stark message about the need for cooperation to tackle the flow of migration across the continent.

'It is now I think a crisis,' he said. 'As we speak, as we gather here, a criminal empire is at work in every country represented here today, profiting off human misery and desperation, prepared to send infants, babies, pregnant mothers, innocent people to their deaths.

EU diplomats are expecting Sir Keir to raise a potential returns agreement to send back small boat arrivals in return for accepting a number of asylum seekers. 

However, Downing Street played down the prospect he would push the idea over dinner with Mr Macron tonight.

Earlier, opening the discussions, Sir Keir stressed his intention of securing closer ties, saying the UK was a 'friend and a partner ready to work with you' and 'not part of the European Union, but very much part of Europe'.

And he sent a stark message about the need for cooperation to tackle the flow of migration across the continent.

'It is now I think a crisis,' he said. 'As we speak, as we gather here, a criminal empire is at work in every country represented here today, profiting off human misery and desperation, prepared to send infants, babies, pregnant mothers, innocent people to their deaths.

'And last week four more souls, and actually last night another one, were lost in the waters of the English Channel – a chilling reminder of the human cost of this vile trade.'

He said the summit was an opportunity to 'set a new path on illegal migration' with increased co-operation.

'We must combine our resources, share intelligence, share tactics, shut down the smuggling routes, and smash the gangs.'

Sir Keir said the 'root causes' driving people from their homes, such as conflict, climate change and extreme poverty also needed to be addressed.

On the UK's approach under his new administration, Sir Keir said: 'We will approach this issue with humanity and with a profound respect for international law.

'And that's why we scrapped the unworkable Rwanda scheme on day one. And it's why we will never withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.'  

The Labour Government is seeking a security pact with the EU and Sir Keir is also determined to cement European nations' support for Ukraine in its war with Vladimir Putin's Russia.

Under the Government's plans to respond to the small boats crisis, asylum decisions will be accelerated and, under a new fast-tracked system in the returns and enforcement unit, officials will prioritise those with no right to be in the UK and who have the greatest chance of being returned.

A new Border Security Command will use counter-terror powers to fight organised immigration crime, working 'across Europe and beyond', Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said.

'Dangerous small boat crossings are undermining our border security and putting lives at risk,' she said.

'Criminal smuggling gangs are making millions out of small boat crossings and the Tories left us with gimmick rather than grip.

'We will work right across Europe to tackle this problem at source, going after those profiting from this awful trade and bringing them to justice.'

More than 380,000 people are believed to have entered the EU through irregular routes in 2023 – an increase of 17 per cent on the previous year.

Around 41 per cent of those arrivals are believed to have come in small boats across the Central Mediterranean, 26 per cent on land through the Balkans, and 16 per cent coming across the Eastern Mediterranean.

The gathering at Blenheim Palace, birthplace of Winston Churchill, is a more informal affair than many international summits.

The leaders will attend a reception hosted by the King in the palace's Long Library, which has walls lined by more than 10,000 books,

The EPC was the brainchild of France's Emmanuel Macron and involves 20 non-EU nations including the UK as well as the 27-strong EU bloc.

Nick Thomas-Symonds, the minister for European relations at the heart of the Government's reset plan, will also be at the gathering.