Keir Starmer will attend a summit in Denmark on Wednesday (Image: Getty)
Channel migrants granted asylum in the UK will have to earn the right to settle or bring their families over, under new plans to be announced by Keir Starmer.
The Prime Minister vowed to scrap the “golden ticket” to life in the UK, declaring that migrants must “earn” settlement, rather than “paying a people smuggler”.
Successful asylum seekers granted refugee status will have to wait longer to apply for indefinite leave to remain, under new plans going to be set out at a European summit in Denmark on Wednesday.
More asylum seekers are also living in taxpayer-funded hotel rooms, with 32,059 migrants in hotels – up 8% compared to when Sir Keir Starmer’s Government came into office – after a surge in small boat arrivals.
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Putin interfering across Europe, Starmer warns
Russian president Vladimir Putin is interfering “right across Europe”, the Prime Minister has said.
Sir Keir Starmer told the European Political Community (EPC) summit: “We’ve seen in recent weeks the appetite Putin has not only to rain down on Ukraine, but also to take actions and interfere right across Europe in many different ways – whether that’s in relation to our airspace, whether it’s cyber or other attacks that have been going on, they are unrelenting.
“It’s a reminder for all of us that this is not just a question of Ukrainian sovereignty, it is a question of the values and freedoms of all of us, and we are all in this fight.”
The Prime Minister added: “(Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky) It’s fantastic that you are here.
“It’s been four long years for brave Ukrainians fighting.
“I have been struck by the severity of the attack on civilians, in particular, in recent weeks.”
Zelensky: Europe needs to ‘seriously think’ about Russian oil industry
Europe needs to “seriously think” about how to bring down Russia’s “entire oil trade infrastructure”, Volodymyr Zelensky told a gathering of European leaders “because that’s what fuels their war machine”.
Oil tankers under European sanctions are “still being used”, Ukrainian president Mr Zelensky told the European Political Community plenary session, adding: “That has to stop.”
Mr Zelensky later added: “We should also support President Trump’s call to stop buying Russian oil here in Europe.”
‘Wrong and stupid’ of Starmer to call Reform policy racist
Shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho has said it was “wrong and stupid” of Sir Keir Starmer to call Reform UK’s migrant policy racist.
She told Sky News: “I think it was wrong and stupid of the Prime Minister say that frankly, because what voters will have heard is that he’s calling them racist.
“And now, I know lots of people in the country incredibly worried about immigration, incredibly worried about illegal immigration. They’re not racist.
“They have serious and valid concerns – and what politicians should be doing is, instead of slinging these insults about, they should be seriously looking at how they can fix those problems for people who have extremely valid concerns.”
Migrants ‘shopping around Europe’ for easy asylum systems
Migration minister Mike Tapp has said migrants are “shopping around Europe to find the most generous system” as he spoke about the Government’s new plans to reform the UK’s asylum system.
These plans include ending automatic right to family reunion and changing the requirements for long-term settlement.
Speaking to Times Radio on Thursday morning, Mr Tapp said: “We’ve inherited a whole immigration system that’s a complete mess, from open borders to the processing of those that arrive grinding to a halt and a system overall that isn’t fair.
“What we see is migrants shopping around Europe to find the most generous system and we’re creating a level playing field here to ensure that those pull factors aren’t there.”
Asked whether the UK is a “soft touch”, he said: “Perhaps not exactly the right language, but when people are looking around for the best deal, a lot of them are seeing us as that, and we’ve got to make sure that’s not the case.”
Seven people removed as part of migration deal with France
Migration minister Mike Tapp has revealed that seven people have so far been removed to France as part of the UK’s “one in, one out” deal with its neighbour.
He told Times Radio: “We know that seven have gone so far and there’s more to come.”
He argued that it is “very much a pilot scheme, because it is complex”, but that it is “ramping up” and will “grow significantly”.
Migration and Ukraine key issues as European leaders meet
Migration and Ukraine will be the “two dominant issues” as European leaders meet on Thursday, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
As he arrived at the European Political Community (EPC), the Prime Minister told reporters: “We’re certainly discussing illegal migration and looking at what further options we can take together.
“Obviously, I’ve always argued that working with other countries is always a stronger response. So we’re looking at a number of options there.
“There’s a big appetite for it, a number of countries wanting to work with us on what more we can do. So, we’ll be looking at that.
“There is also, then, obviously, the question of Ukraine and how we put in more support for Ukraine, put pressure on Putin.
“So, it’ll really be migration and Ukraine will be the two dominant issues in the discussions today.”
Channel migrants will have to earn right to bring family members amid ‘asylum shopping’
The Prime Minister vowed to scrap the “golden ticket” to life in the UK, declaring that migrants must “earn” settlement, rather than “paying a people smuggler”.
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