A FUTURE Labour Government could process asylum seekers abroad, Sir Keir Starmer has said after vowing to scrap the Rwanda scheme.
The Labour Leader dubbed plans to send migrants to Rwanda as “gimmick” but then told The Sun he would “look at any scheme that might work” to tackle immigration if in power.
As the Prime Minister was battling to shore up support for his Rwanda Bill on Tuesday morning, Sir Keir delivered a speech on his vision for Britain in Milton Keynes.
He accused Tory MPs of being in an “indulgent vortex” of infighting and promised “practical” ways of stopping small boat crossings, including tackling people-smuggling gangs.
“I’ve done this before as Director of Public Prosecutions when we took on the terrorists and the people-smugglers”, he said.
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He then tore into Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda legislation, insisting his party is opposed to the “gimmick” because “it doesn’t work, it will cost a fortune… and it is against our values”.
But he signalled he would consider a third-country asylum offshoring scheme when asked by The Sun during a Q&A.
Sir Keir highlighted the difference between the Rwanda plan, where asylum seekers are deported, and third-country offshoring.
He said: “There are various schemes, as you know, around the world where individuals are processed, usually en route to their country of destination, elsewhere.
“The Rwanda scheme isn’t one of those. This is a straight deportation scheme in relation to people who’ve already arrived.
“Other countries around the world do have schemes where they divert people on the way and process them elsewhere. That’s a different kind of scheme.
“And look, I’ll look at any scheme that might work.” The Labour Leader also confirmed Labour would scrap the Rwanda scheme if his party enters government.
The speech was to mark the four-year anniversary of the 2019 general election.
Tory party chairman Richard Holden said: “This is yet more empty drivel from Sir Keir Starmer - it’s no wonder Labour’s immigration policy is all over the place.”