Starmer warns ‘criminal empire is at work’ as he urges European leaders to tackle people smuggling ‘crisis’
18 July 2024, 11:14 | Updated: 18 July 2024, 11:58
Keir Starmer has said the number of migrants crossing the Channel is now a full-blown "crisis", warning European leaders that a “criminal empire” is at work across the continent.
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“We must bring resolve to another challenge facing our continent, the vile trade of people smuggling,” the Prime Minister told European leaders in Oxford on Thursday.
“Let’s be frank, challenge is the wrong word, it is a now a crisis.
“As we speak, as we gather here, a criminal empire is at work in every country represented here today, profiting off human misery and desperation.
“[They are] prepared to send infants, babies, pregnant mothers, innocent people to their deaths.
“Last week, four more souls, and last night another one, were lost in the waters of the English Channel - a chilling reminder of the human cost of this vile trade.”
The Prime Minister opened the fourth European Political Community summit on Thursday morning, welcoming around 50 leaders to Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire.
That included Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as well as the French President Emmanuel Macron and the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán.
Delivering his opening remarks, Sir Keir said “the threat from Russia reaches right across Europe” and called for a “reset” in UK-EU relations.
In his speech, the Prime Minister also pledged to never leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as the previous Conservative government considered.
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“It is of course the birthplace of Winston Churchill, and we stand for the values that he embodies around the world: liberty and democracy, yes of course, but also defiance and resolve in their defence.
“Today, as a new storm gathers over our continent, we choose to meet it in that same spirit and we choose to meet it together.
“That is the choice of the government that I lead now…we want to work with all of you to reset relationships, rediscover our common interest, and renew the bonds of trust and friendship.”
The Prime Minister said the need for a reset is “urgent” after “many have seen attacks on our own democracy”, including “military planes entering our airspace and ships patrolling our coast”.
The PM continued: “For peace and security, for prosperity and all our people - we have shown in the G7, where we use Russia assets to ensure they pay for the damage caused and to reduce our collective dependence on Russian gas.”
He went on to say that “he must see the job through and use this moment to accelerate towards clean energy... and tackle ships that are helping Russia evade sanctions”.
Sir Keir's opening address was followed by President Zelenskyy, who called on help from European leaders to defeat Russia.
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Zelenskyy said: “There must be a collective will to shoot them down just like the Iranian missiles and drones.”
“Your bravery can be decisive," he told European leaders in the room, before adding: “People should feel Europe is becoming closer.”
“Putin has not divided us,” he added.
President Macron and Sir Keir are expected to hold a bilateral meeting later this afternoon, with a primary focus on tackling the small boats crisis.
Macron told reporters: “I will have the opportunity at the end of the day to have a bilateral session with the Prime Minister. I am very happy and this is a great opportunity for a reset.
“It is obviously always a very delicate humanitarian situation so our willingness is constantly to improve the situation.”
Asked again if a new deal could be done, Mr Macron said: “This is my point. There is no silver bullet because we do know the situation. We do our best. We did improve the situation during the past few years…”
In pictures: Starmer welcomes European leaders
Macron and Starmer will hold a bilateral meeting later today, with a focus on tackling the small boats crisis.
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, pictured below, recently hosted his last NATO summit.
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban is one of Vladimir Putin's only allies in Europe.
Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Sir Keir watched the Euro 2024 final together on Sunday.
Talking about the football? Starmer and Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez meet once again after Spain beat England 2-1 in the Euro 2024 final.
