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Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to give some £4 million to the far-right Italian government to tackle irregular migration.
The funding for the initiative, called the Rome Process, comes following the meeting of the two leaders.
Sir Keir met with his Italian counterpart in Rome today to discuss plans to tackle illegal migration.
The populist Italian government, led by Giorgia Meloni, has seen a 60 per cent drop in illegal migration in the past year and recently signed a controversial deal with Albania.
Sir Keir said he is “very interested” in Italy’s policies leading to “dramatic reductions” in irregular migration.
“You’ve made remarkable progress working with countries across migration routes as equals, to address the drivers of migration at source and tackle gangs,” Sir Keir told the press conference.
Ms Meloni added she and Sir Keir had signed a joint communique including “very tangible, important points, and is evidence of the deep relation between our two countries.”
Sir Keir has signalled he is open to pursuing an arrangement similar to Italy’s migration deal with Albania, whereby asylum seekers will be held in the Balkan state while their claims are processed.
Key Points
- UK has shown ‘great interest' in Italy-Albania deal, Italian PM Meloni says
- Starmer praises Italy’s migrant policies
- Starmer meets Italian business leaders in Rome
Watch: Starmer ‘very worried’ about alleged Trump assassination attempt
Full report: Starmer shows ‘great interest’ in Italy’s plans to send migrants to Albania, says Meloni
Starmer shows ‘great interest” in Italy’s offshore asylum plan, says Meloni
Prime minister told Italian leader she had made ‘remarkable progress’ on migration at summit in Rome
Jabed Ahmed16 September 2024 19:28 1726509604Starmer announces almost £500 million in Italian investment into UK
Sir Keir Starmer announced Italian investments into the UK worth almost £500 million during his visit to Rome.
“I’m really pleased to announce that we’ve secured two new investments,” the Prime Minister said at a press conference with Giorgia Meloni.
Leonardo will invest £435 million in 2024 to be spent at their Yeovil site and in technology development and research programmes across the UK, Downing Street said in a statement.
The defence, aerospace and security company operates eight major sites in the UK, supporting 8,000 employees.
Steel manufacturer Marcegaglia will invest £50 million in Sheffield to build a new clean steel electric arc furnace, creating 50 new jobs.
Jabed Ahmed16 September 2024 19:00 1726507744Starmer ‘very worried’ over Trump assassination attempt as Farage condemns ‘appalling’ incident
Starmer ‘worried’ over Trump assassination attempt as Farage condemns incident
Prime Minister said violence had no place in politics after foiled shooting at a golf club in Florida, the second in as many months
Jabed Ahmed16 September 2024 18:29 1726505884‘A literal fascist’: Diane Abbott criticises Starmer for meeting Meloni
Jabed Ahmed16 September 2024 17:58 1726504144New detention centres in Albania are a ‘stain on the Italian government’, Amnesty International says
Director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office Eve Geddie said: “It’s shameful that despite all the criticism and concerns raised by human rights bodies, the Italian government has decided to go ahead with this agreement. Not only is the plan incredibly harmful, it is also unlawful.
“People in distress at sea will be subjected to long and unnecessary journeys, in patent violation of Italy’s obligation to ensure the swift disembarkation of rescued persons in a ‘place of safety’. On reaching dry land, they will face automatic, arbitrary and potentially prolonged detention in Albania.
“While under the terms of this agreement, people would remain under Italian jurisdiction, it is likely that their right to seek asylum and have their claims fairly assessed will be severely curtailed.
“These centres represent the latest attempt by an EU country to circumvent their obligations under EU and international law by ‘externalising’ or shifting the processing of people’s protection claims outside of their territory.
“The new EU leadership must firmly reject attempts to offshore the processing of asylum claims. These plans have had a disastrous impact on both human lives and the cost of asylum systems when they have been tried before.
“This cruel experiment is a stain on the Italian government. It will practically only affect racialized people on the move and it distracts and detracts from policies that could truly strengthen asylum systems, support people in need of safety, and benefit the communities that welcome them.”
Italian premier Ms Meloni has brushed aside humanitarian concerns about her country’s deal with Albania as “completely groundless”.
Jabed Ahmed16 September 2024 17:29 1726502344Full report: Starmer reported to Parliament’s standards watchdog over wife’s clothes bought by donor
Starmer reported to standards watchdog over wife’s clothes bought by donor
PM accused of breaking the rules over clothing for his wife Lady Victoria Starmer from Lord Alli, who has given more than £500,000 to Labour over the last two decades
Jabed Ahmed16 September 2024 16:59 1726501264Lib Dem deputy leader talks about being told she had ‘just four days to live’
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper has said she was once told she had “just four days left to live”, as she shared her experiences of Crohn’s disease.
Addressing the party’s autumn conference in Brighton on Monday, Ms Cooper told delegates that “12 years ago” she was “rushed to hospital” and then later “sobbed” as she faced the prospect of having to give up work.
“A few weeks in, I was told that without major surgery I had just four days left to live. My weight had dropped to around seven stone, my eyesight was failing,” she told delegates.
Recalling her experiences, she said that her arms had gone “black and blue” and she was “fed only through a feeding tube”.
“But it wasn’t the prospect of major surgery that upset me, it was what was said next,” Ms Cooper said.
Jabed Ahmed16 September 2024 16:41 1726500064Exclusive: Lib Dem councillor says she was ‘diagnosed with PTSD over Brexit’
My colleague Archie Mitchell reports:
‘I was diagnosed with PTSD over Brexit,’ Lib Dem councillor says
Exclusive: ‘I have not been in Sudan fighting in a war, but Brexit has had a profound impact on me,’ Antonia Harrison told The Independent
Jabed Ahmed16 September 2024 16:21 1726498744Lib Dems put God on trial in court case of deselected Christian candidate
Lib Dems put God on trial in court case of deselected Christian candidate
A deselected Christian candidate who is suing the Lib Dems has been told by the party that he must prove the truth of his faith in court
Jabed Ahmed16 September 2024 15:59 Newer1 / 4OlderDisclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
