Spies will be deployed to thwart small boat gang ‘terrorists’, says Sir Keir Starmer
SPIES will be deployed to thwart small boat gangs who are “no better than terrorists”, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
Labour’s leader will today unveil plans for a Border Security Command force if he gets into No10.
The unit will have powers to direct officers across the security services — including MI5 — the National Crime Agency and police.
At a speech in Dover, he will pledge hundreds of new officers to crush trafficking gangs with £75million funding from axing the Rwanda scheme.
Existing counter-terror laws will be strengthened to target Channel crossings, including seizing the phones of illegal migrants to gather information on the gangs.
Smugglers suspected of organised crime links could also have their banks probed and premises raided.
Sir Keir will use the announcement to blunt Tory attacks that he lacks a credible plan to grip illegal migration after vowing to scrap the Rwanda flights.
But Home Secretary James Cleverly last night said: “Nobody believes Keir Starmer wants to control our borders when he previously said immigration controls are ‘racist’ and blocked the deportation of violent sexual offenders.”
Yesterday, 36 more migrants crossed the Channel on a small boat, adding to the more than 8,500 who have made the dangerous journey this year.
Justice Secretary Alex Chalk will today suggest the European Court of Human Rights adapt to meet the migration crisis.
He will say: “The law is a living instrument. It must be tailored to reality.”