The UK will begin talks with other countries on "return hubs" for failed asylum seekers in a crackdown on small boat crossings, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced.
During a trip to Albania on Thursday, Starmer said the government will begin exploring the possibility of sending failed asylum seekers overseas for processing before deportation.
The prime minister told GB News: “What now we want to do and are having discussions of, talks of, is return hubs, which is where someone has been through the system in the UK, they need to be returned and we have to make sure they’re returned effectively and we’ll do that, if we can, through return hubs.”
The government has not said which countries would be involved in the talks, but it is understood that the subject is on the agenda for the prime minister’s meetings in Albania.
Starmer and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama have agreed to increase co-operation on combating organised crime and people smuggling gangs.
Earlier this week, the number of people crossing the Channel in small boats passed 12,000 for the year. If that rate continues, 2025 would be a record year for crossings.
The PM said establishing return hubs would not be a “silver bullet” for halting the crossings.
But combined with other measures to tackle smuggling gangs and return those with no right to be in the UK, it would “allow us to bear down on this vile trade and make sure that we stop those people crossing the Channel”, he said.
By removing failed asylum seekers to another country, the government hopes to reduce their ability to find other reasons to prevent deportation, such as starting a family.
It is also expected to act as a deterrent to further crossings, but differs from the previous government’s Rwanda scheme as it would only apply to failed asylum seekers who have exhausted their avenues for appeal.
Downing Street said the number of Albanians making the crossing had fallen by 95% in the past three years, while the number returned to Albania had doubled between 2022 and 2024 following increased co-operation between the two countries.
After a spike in numbers in 2022, the Conservative government struck a deal with Albania to work together to prevent people from making the journey. Money and expertise from the UK have also been sent by Labour.
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