Exclusive:We're offering grown-up solutions instead of Tory Rwanda gimmick on migration - Sir Keir Starmer

Where the Tories offered gimmicks like the Rwanda scheme, we’re offering grown up solutions. We need actual deterrents for the people smuggling gangs, not distractions like the Tory’s Rwanda gimmick.

I used to be this country’s chief prosecutor. It was my job to keep people safe. As Prime Minister, it’s my mission to keep the country safe. I know how these criminal gangs work, and I know they only care about one thing – money.

So we’ve taken steps to hit them where it hurts. We’ve announced a new sanctions regime to freeze their assets, stop them travelling and block them from advertising their vile trade on social media.

We’ve learnt important lessons from counter terrorism legislation. And this week, we’re going a step further. A new bill will give police new powers to prosecute people smugglers.

We’ll bang them up before they can put people on boats. With our new law, anyone handling items suspected of being used for people smuggling can be arrested, so police won’t have to wait for boats to reach our shores first.

We’re also giving police the power to seize mobile phones. They’ll be able to gather information about people smugglers immediately. And we’re making it an offence to put people’s lives at risk at sea, to prevent more tragic deaths in the channel.

We’ll work with international partners in Europe and beyond to catch the criminals before they breach our borders. Arrests are already being made that are making our country safer.

We have removed 2,580 foreign criminals - 23 per cent more than last year. And we have also removed more than 16,400 people who have no right to be here. That’s the highest number of returns for five years, and the four biggest returns flights ever.

This is all part of our Plan for Change. We’re making our streets safer, securing our borders, arresting criminals, smashing the gangs and saving lives.

Sir Keir Starmer is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.