Starmer 'interested in Italy's migrant deal' with Albania ahead of visit to Rome to meet right-wing PM Meloni

15 September 2024, 20:59

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he is 'interested' in Italy's deal with Albania to send migrants there after they are rescued at sea.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he is 'interested' in Italy's deal with Albania to send migrants there after they are rescued at sea. Picture: Alamy

By Chay Quinn

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he is 'interested' in Italy's deal with Albania to send migrants there after they are rescued at sea.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The newly-elected British PM has made the comments ahead of his first visit to Rome to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday.

Under the terms of the deal, Italy sends migrants rescued crossing over sea from places such as North Africa to Albania for their asylum claims to be processed.

Read More: Eight migrants die while attempting to cross English Channel - as 10-month-old baby left in critical condition

Read More: Trump claims migrants are 'eating Americans' cats and dogs' during fiery presidential debate with Harris

When asked on Saturday about the scheme, Sir Keir told reporters: "Let's see. It's in early days, I'm interested in how that works, I think everybody else is.”

The deal echoes the Rwanda bill which was championed by Sir Keir's Conservative predecessor Rishi Sunak - but diverges in that successful applicants are not forced to stay in Rwanda.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, talks with Italy's Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, right, during a bilateral meeting at the European Political Community Summit at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock
The newly-elected British PM has made the comments ahead of his first visit to Rome to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday. Picture: Alamy

Meloni's flagship deal sees migrants who are determined to be from safe countries, and who are not classified as vulnerable, sent to Albanian while their claims are processed.

The scheme intends to see the vast majority of those sent to Albania to have their claims rejected - because Italy has determined that their country of origin is safe.

The scheme has seen a sharp drop in those making the crossing across the Mediterranean Sea to enter Europe - with other countries now looking to follow suit as they deal with their own migration crises.

Just over 43,000 have arrived in Italy so far this year, according to the United Nations, compared to a total of nearly 158,000 in 2023.

Starmer will meet the far-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday in Rome.

Crotone, Italy. 4th Mar, 2024. Migrants seen on the dock. The rescue ship Humanity 1 of the German NGO SOS Humanity arrived in the port of Crotone with 77 migrants, mainly from Bangladesh and Pakistan
Meloni's flagship deal sees migrants who are determined to be from safe countries, and who are not classified as vulnerable, sent to Albanian while their claims are processed. Picture: Alamy

Top of the agenda will be migration - as both countries try to cut down irregular migration by sea.

The issue soared to the top of the political agenda on Sunday - after least eight migrants died while attempting to cross the English Channel.

The incident in the early hours also saw a 10-month-old baby rushed to hospital in critical condition.

The incident happened off the coast of Ambleteuse in the Pas-de-Calais region of northern France overnight, local media said.

Jacques Billant, the prefect of Pas-de-Calais, said the boat "quickly" got into trouble after it set off, and appears to have crashed into rocks.

TOPSHOT-FRANCE-BRITAIN-EU-MIGRANTS-ACCIDENT
Migration soared to the top of the political agenda on Sunday - after least eight migrants died while attempting to cross the English Channel.CE-BRITAIN-EU-MIGRANTS-ACCIDENT. Picture: Getty

He said six people were taken to hospital "in relative emergency," including a 10-month-old baby with hypothermia.

The eight who died were all adult men.

Survivors of the accident come from Eritrea, Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Egypt and Iran, he added.

A UK Government spokesperson said French authorities are leading the investigation.

"We can confirm there has been an incident in the Channel involving a small boat in French waters," the spokesperson said.

"French authorities are leading the response and investigation. We will not be commenting further at this stage."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

The CSA Centre estimates as many as 1 in 10 children could face abuse before the age of 16 in the UK

Child sexual abuse services ‘on the verge of breaking point’, experts say

London, UK. 20 May 2025.  Relatives of victims in the UK's contaminated blood scandal campaign outside Parliament

'People are dying': fury at delay in infected blood payouts as minister denies hold-up 'not about saving money'

Earthquake of magnitude 6 hits Crete coast in Greece

Earthquake of magnitude 6 strikes Crete coast in Greece - as tsunami warning issued by authorities

Exclusive
Appearing on Facebook and Instagram it begins with a faded photo of him and the words 'Anas Sarwar has said he will prioritise the Pakistani community".

Reform UK spends £7k on 'outrageous' ads suggesting Scottish labour leader wants to 'prioritise Pakistani community'

Earned prison release, more community supervision… and chemical castration: Gauke’s sentencing review

Paedophiles and sex offenders face castration: Gauke’s sentencing review

Two Israeli embassy staff members killed in Washington shooting, suspect held

Two Israeli embassy staff members shot dead in 'targeted attack' outside Jewish Museum in Washington, DC

The latest figures show that in March 2025 there were 314,432 children and young people waiting for community health services.

Children face ‘catastrophic’ waits for care, leading doctors warn

A piggy bank being held

Some first-time buyers accessing bumper Lifetime Isa deposits of £50,000-plus

Players of Tottenham celebrate with the trophy during the Final UEFA Europa League football match played between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Manchester United.

Tottenham win Europa League final after beating Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao

Liam Gallagher, former frontman with English band Oasis performing live on stage, Newport.

Oasis fans ‘set to spend £1bn on UK reunion tour concerts’

R&B singer Chris Brown is alleged to have hit music producer Abe Diaw over the head with a bottle multiple times at a London nightclub last year.

'FROM THE CAGE TO THE STAGE': Chris Brown makes statement after being released from prison on £5million bail

A flotilla of Little Ships in the English Channel after they sailed out of Ramsgate, Kent, during 'Dunkirk 85'.

Migrant boat forces Dunkirk commemoration fleet to divert route

Liam O'Hanna, left, was charged over an alleged incident which occurred during a London gig.

Kneecap rapper Liam O'Hanna charged with terrorism offence after 'displaying Hezbollah flag' at London gig

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to journalists at press conference in Jerusalem, Wednesday, May 21, 2025.

Netanyahu says 'all of Gaza' will be 'under Israel's control' at the end of current military offensive

Bella May Culley has been arrested on suspicion of drug smuggling

Lawyer says British teenager accused of drug smuggling is 'not far from childhood' as she faces life in Georgian prison

18-year-old Abdurrahman Summers (pictured) and two 15-year-old boys were convicted of murdering 17-year-old Reuben Higgins at Birmingham Crown Court today.

Teenager found guilty of Solihull vape shop murder 'screams abuse' at jury