EU Humiliates Keir Starmer, Rejects Plea to Tackle Small Boat Crossings
In an awkward twist for Labour’s Brexit ambitions, Brussels has flatly turned down the UK’s request for access to EU migration data – a move the Conservatives say leaves Sir Keir Starmer looking “taken for a fool.”
The Prime Minister had pinned high hopes on a new security-focused deal with the EU to reboot the UK’s post-Brexit relationship. But one of the key elements in Labour’s so-called “reset” – a data-sharing agreement to help crack down on people smuggling and illegal Channel crossings – has been knocked back, reported the Express.
Despite previously stressing the importance of cross-border cooperation, the EU has now told the UK it won’t be handing over crucial info like the fingerprints of illegal migrants. That decision could seriously undermine Labour’s plans to get tough on smuggling gangs using small boats to ferry people into Britain.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp didn’t mince his words, slamming Labour for being “paralysed, clueless, and without a plan,” as illegal Channel crossings hit 11,000 so far this year. “Starmer has been taken for a fool, outplayed abroad and out of his depth at home,” Philp said, painting the EU’s refusal as yet another sign of Brussels being unwilling to work in good faith.
It’s a tough look for Starmer, who’s been pushing hard to show he can deliver results on immigration and get a grip on criminal networks behind the surge in crossings. He’s been promising to “smash the gangs,” but with the EU shutting down a key avenue for intelligence-sharing, that mission just got harder.
Still, Labour isn’t throwing in the towel. Intense negotiations are set to resume this week as the Government prepares for a major Brexit summit in London on May 19. Starmer is hoping to present a package of progress, not just on security, but also on trade rules that could help British food exports and efforts to smooth the flow of electricity between the UK and the EU.
But of course, Brussels wants something in return. The big ask? A Youth Mobility Scheme that would let Brits and EU citizens under 30 live and work in each other’s countries for up to four years. One EU source told Politico this is non-negotiable, saying it’s a “red line” pushed hard by most member states.
The UK Government has been hesitant, wary of adding to immigration numbers. But Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is said to be warming to the idea – on the condition it’s capped with a “one in, one out” approach to keep the figures under control.
Whether that’s enough to get both sides back on friendlier terms remains to be seen. But for now, Labour’s big Brexit reset is off to a rocky start.
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