The UK government has announced that nearly $100 million previously allocated for the controversial Rwanda deportation scheme will now be used to enhance border security and combat people-smuggling gangs. The decision follows the new Labour government’s dismantling of the Conservative plan, which it labelled as an expensive “gimmick.”
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the focus has shifted towards dismantling the smuggling networks exploiting migrants seeking to cross the Channel from northern France. This comes in response to recent tragedies, including the deaths of eight people on Sunday when their overcrowded vessel capsized near the French coast, and a previous incident where at least 12 lives were lost.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced that up to £75 million (approximately $99 million) from the funds earmarked for the Rwanda scheme will be redirected to purchase advanced surveillance technology. This will support efforts to gather evidence for prosecuting gang leaders. The funds will also be used to bolster border security, increase staffing, and add 100 specialist investigators to the National Crime Agency.
The government aims to address the issue “upstream” by working with European partners to prevent migrants from undertaking dangerous crossings. As part of this strategy, the number of British officers stationed at Europol has been increased to bolster European efforts against organised people-smuggling networks.
Starmer recently visited Rome to discuss Italy’s strategies for curbing irregular migration, including proposals for Italian-run migrant centres in Albania.
The former Conservative Rwanda scheme, which saw only four voluntary relocations despite a £700 million expenditure, was heavily criticised by Cooper as “the most shocking waste of taxpayers’ money.” The scheme’s total projected cost was over £10 billion, according to parliamentary reports.