The UK and other nations affected by people smuggling must not allow the “vile trade” to divide them, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will urge at an international summit in London this week.
Addressing representatives from 40 countries, including Albania, Vietnam, and Iraq, Sir Keir will call for a united front against the criminal networks that exploit migration routes. The summit, held on Monday and Tuesday, marks the first of its kind, bringing together officials from France, the US, and China, along with enforcement agencies and social media companies such as Meta, X, and TikTok.
A united front against people smugglers
Sir Keir will stress the need for global collaboration to dismantle organised immigration crime, comparing the fight against people-smuggling networks to counterterrorism efforts. “This vile trade exploits the cracks between our institutions, pits nations against one another, and profits from our political divisions,” he will say.
Drawing from his experience as director of public prosecutions, the Prime Minister will assert: “I believe we should treat organised immigration crime in the same way. We’ve got to combine our resources, share intelligence and tactics, and tackle the problem upstream at every step of the people-smuggling routes.”
Tackling the criminal networks
As part of the summit’s agenda, ministers and law enforcement officers will discuss strategies to disrupt smuggling routes, cut off criminal finances, and tackle online advertisements that promote illegal migration. Officials will also examine how social media platforms can be better regulated to prevent people smugglers from luring vulnerable migrants.
The government has committed £33 million to intensify efforts against smuggling gangs. This includes funding for foreign prosecutors to track down and dismantle trafficking networks.
Concrete actions to address migration challenges
The UK government has outlined several measures aimed at tackling illegal migration and cracking down on exploitation:
- Expanding Right-to-Work Checks: The government will amend the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to require businesses to verify the work status of gig economy workers. Non-compliant businesses could face fines of up to £60,000, closures, director disqualifications, or prison sentences of up to five years.
- Stricter Visa Regulations: Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has indicated that the government will review the number of people arriving in the UK on student and work visas who later claim asylum.
- Review of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR): The government is assessing how the right to family life applies in migration cases, as the clause has previously prevented deportations. Denmark’s stricter approach is being considered as a potential model.
- Targeting Smuggling Networks in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region: The UK will allocate £1 million to tackle people-smuggling kingpins operating in the region.
- Public Awareness Campaigns: A new initiative on Vietnamese social media and messaging app Zalo warns against trusting people-smuggling gangs, aiming to reduce irregular migration from Vietnam.
Strengthening border security and international co-operation
Speaking ahead of the summit, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasised the importance of cross-border collaboration in tackling people-smuggling networks.
“Only a co-ordinated international response across the whole irregular migration route can effectively dismantle these networks,” she said. “The Organised Immigration Crime Summit is the first of its kind and will reinforce the UK’s position as a leader by securing international commitments to disrupt organised immigration crime at every stage.”
Ms Cooper also announced £30 million in additional funding for the Border Security Command. This will be used to combat supply chains, finance, and trafficking networks across Europe, the Balkans, Asia, and Africa. A further £3 million will be allocated to the Crown Prosecution Service to enhance its capacity to handle people-smuggling cases.
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Political tensions over migration policy
The summit takes place amid ongoing political debate over migration policy. On Sunday, senior Conservative shadow minister Alex Burghart criticised the Labour government for scrapping the Rwanda deportation plan, which was intended to deter migrants from crossing the Channel in small boats.
“It was ready to go, and Labour came in, they won a majority, and they scrapped it. There is now no deterrent programme,” Mr Burghart said.
This year has already seen record numbers of Channel crossings. Around 6,000 people have reached the UK via small boats, surpassing the 5,435 arrivals recorded in the first three months of 2024 – itself a record at the time.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper acknowledged the challenge, noting that calm weather had contributed to the recent increase in crossings. However, she insisted that the government’s approach, focusing on international collaboration and criminal prosecutions, would deliver lasting solutions.
Conclusion
The summit in London represents a significant step towards global co-operation on illegal migration. With concrete financial commitments, policy reforms, and intensified law enforcement efforts, the UK government hopes to disrupt people-smuggling networks and strengthen border security. However, political tensions over migration policy remain high, and the effectiveness of these measures will be closely scrutinised in the coming months.
