Starmer: Rwanda is a 'trick' and Labor will deport illegal migrants faster

Sir Keir Starmer will say Rwanda's plan will «never work». Photo: Phil Noble/Reuters

Sir Keir Starmer will on Tuesday call the Rwandan policy an unworkable «gimmick» and promise to deport illegal migrants faster than the Tories.

The Labor leader will take on Rishi Sunak in a small-scale fight boats, insisting that his plan to crack down on smuggling gangs will yield faster results.

He will mock the Conservatives' handling of border controls and highlight the public divisions that threaten to tear them apart.

In a speech marking the fourth anniversary of the last general election, Sir Keir will examine the Tories' plan to send asylum seekers to Africa as «political performance art» «.

He will insist the plan will «never work» and argue that voters are more concerned about the NHS crisis, crime rates and the cost of living.< /p>

Accusing Tory MPs of betting their internal «psychodrama» above the interests of workers, he will say: «The Rwanda deal is a perfect example.»

“The policy they knew would never come to fruition, but the farce continues. – £290 million of taxpayers' money wasted on a failed Conservative Party leadership attempt. Not a single person was sent. And even if we sent people, we would pay for their hotels and upkeep, and in return we would have to resettle refugees from Rwanda.

Sir Keir will ridicule far-fetched ideas previously floated by Conservatives to crack down on small Channel crossings, including a giant wave machine and armored jetski patrols.

He will say that it is necessary to combat illegal activities. The aim of migration is to «improve the basics» and that «stopping the boats means stopping the subterfuge».

Labour's plan will mean «restoring a functioning asylum system» and «removing people faster so you don't have to run up hotel bills «, he will add.

In his wide-ranging speech, Sir Keir will also criticize his predecessors for pulling the Labor Party too far to the left as he appeals directly to Tory voters.

He will claim that the party took a “leave of absence.” from our job description» and say: «Think back to the last election four years ago. Working people across our country have looked at my party, looked at the path we have taken, not just under Jeremy Corbyn, but for some time. And they said no.

“We took the leave called for in our job description, breaking an old partnership—a labor bargain in which we serve working people as they lead our country forward.”

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“If you voted Conservative four years ago, you are still waiting for the change you demanded. You won't get that from a fifth Tory term.”

But his criticism of the Labor leadership under Ed Miliband and Corbyn risks reigniting fears among MPs that he is waging war on the Labor left. Mr Miliband, who led the party from 2010 until its defeat in the 2015 election, is one of the few left-wing figures to sit in the shadow cabinet.