Keir Starmer has criticized small boats as “Farage boats” in his intensified criticism of Reform leader Nigel Farage. The Prime Minister emphasized the need to make up for lost progress and rebuked Mr. Farage’s Brexit promises. During an interview with GB News, Mr. Starmer highlighted Mr. Farage’s erroneous assertion during the 2016 Brexit referendum that leaving the EU would not impact migration policy.
“We have now taken action on that, but it is imperative to escalate our efforts. I would like to remind Nigel Farage and others that prior to our EU exit, we had a returns agreement with all EU countries, despite Farage claiming it would not matter if we left. He was mistaken in that regard,” stated Mr. Starmer.
Referring to the small boats crossing the Channel, Mr. Starmer remarked, “These boats can be termed as Farage boats in many ways.” This statement echoes a recent call at the Lib Dem conference to label them as Brexit boats.
Critics argue that the loss of the returns agreement with Europe has aided smuggling gangs. French President Emmanuel Macron previously mentioned that Brexit had hindered Britain’s ability to deport individuals, leading to increased Channel crossings.
Following the UK’s departure from the EU, no alternative arrangement was established under the Dublin Convention, which allows for the return of asylum seekers to their initial EU entry point.
In efforts to deter dangerous crossings, the UK government struck a ‘one-in-one-out’ deal with France over the summer. This initiative involves detaining and deporting individuals arriving by small boats, while legitimate asylum seekers are permitted entry in their place.
Although the number of deportations under the returns agreement has been limited, the PM stressed its importance in demonstrating the effectiveness of the policy.
Labour has recently heightened its criticism of Nigel Farage, with Mr. Starmer and other ministers denouncing Reform’s proposal to eliminate indefinite leave to remain for current UK residents as “racist.”
Mr. Starmer clarified that he does not consider Mr. Farage or his supporters to be racist. He emphasized that concerns about borders and the pace of change do not equate to racism.
Describing Mr. Farage as a “formidable politician,” the Labour leader expressed concerns about the potential societal division caused by Reform’s deportation plans for law-abiding migrants in the UK.
In response to accusations that his criticism might provoke the radical left and jeopardize Reform members’ safety, Mr. Starmer refuted these claims during an interview on LBC.
In a piece for the Daily Mail, Mr. Farage expressed disappointment in the PM’s recent actions, emphasizing the impact on British politics and hoping for a sense of remorse on the PM’s part.
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