Labour small boats scheme criticised as it sets out plans to cut asylum backlog

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Labour will take back control of our asylum system Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper But he has insisted that his focus would be on ensuring that an anti-terrorism-style international crackdown could smash the gangs behind the “vile” trade, preventing people leaving in small boats from France in the first place. The price for Starmer’s dirty deal is that the UK will take 'our fair share' of the swathes of illegal migrants who pour into Europe - over a million last year Home Secretary Suella Braverman As well as facing Tory attacks from the right, Labour’s immigration stance was criticised by a senior union chief. Mr Wrack, who is also general secretary at the Fire Brigades Union, told The Guardian: “Labour must offer a sensible alternative to the inflammatory approach of Tory ministers.” The Tories have suggested Sir Keir’s plans for a return deal with Brussels could result in 100,000 EU migrants coming to the UK every year, a claim rubbished by Labour. In an article for the Daily Express, Mrs Braverman — who on her watch has seen more than 20,000 migrants arriving in Britain via small boats this year alone — said: “The price for Starmer’s dirty deal is that the UK will take ‘our fair share’ of the swathes of illegal migrants who pour into Europe — over a million last year.” Senior Tory ministers have argued that, if a returns agreement with the EU had been in place last year, it would have forced the UK to take 124,614 so-called “illegal migrants” in 2022 as part of a “mandatory fair share” agreement.