(Bloomberg) — Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he’s looking to Italy for lessons on tackling the flow of migrants in small boats to Britain’s southern shores.
Most Read from Bloomberg
Speaking after holding a bilateral meeting and working lunch with his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni in Rome, Starmer signaled he’ll watch how Italy’s planned new program to process asylum seekers in Albania pans out. He also told reporters in the Italian capital that he’s “very interested” in measures Meloni has taken upstream in the countries of origin of migrants, which had cut arrivals in Italy “quite significantly.”
“We are pragmatists first and foremost: when we see a challenge, we discuss with our friends and allies the different approaches that are being taken, and look at what works,” Starmer said. “I have always said preventing people leaving their country in the first place is far better than trying to deal with those that have arrived in any of our countries.”
Starmer, in office for 2 1/2 months — is trying to find ways to cut the volume of migrants reaching Britain in small boats from France after the number of those making crossings surged to the tens of thousands in recent years. He’s casting around for fresh ideas on how to achieve that after scrapping a plan by his Conservative predecessor Rishi Sunak to deport arrivals to Rwanda.
Britain had yet to get any deportation flights off the ground despite sending hundreds of millions of pounds to the African nation. Meanwhile earlier this year, arrivals across the channel had surged to a record, though the year-to-date total has since dipped under levels seen in 2022.
Meloni — who spoke in Italian — said the key to cracking down on criminal people-smuggling gangs is to “follow the money,” a phrase she said in English. She said Italy and the UK would share intelligence in an effort to tackle the problem.
Earlier this year, Meloni announced a controversial plan to divert migrants seeking to reach the Italian mainland to two hubs built in Albania and run by Italian authorities. But even as Meloni reiterated the plan will move forward, its implementation has stalled due to bureaucratic delays and lack of clarity on the rules to select who will be sent there.
The two leaders also discussed issues including Ukraine, the conflict in Gaza, and business investment. Starmer said it’s important that allies put Ukraine in the “best possible position” to defend itself.
Amid pressure from Ukraine for allies to allow it to fire British Storm Shadow missiles into Russia, Meloni signaled caution, saying “the risk of escalation is one we deal with every day and requires prudence.” Starmer has been seeking support in the US and among Ukraine’s European allies for Ukraine to use Storm Shadow on Russian territory. The UK will also discuss the proposal in coming days with France and Germany.
While Meloni, of the Brothers of Italy party has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since taking office in 2022, her position is not fully shared by coalition ally Matteo Salvini of the Northern League, who has questioned Rome’s ability to back Kyiv’s efforts. Moreover, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani — a member of a third coalition party, Forza Italia — has sounded a note of caution on any decisions on long-range weapons, telling the Corriere della Sera that it’s “up to each country” to decide.
Starmer — who held a round table with Italian businesses earlier on Monday — also announced nearly half a billion pounds of investment by Leonardo SpA and Marcegaglia Steel SpA in the UK, a move his office said would boost British jobs in the industrial sector.
Defense firm Leonardo will spend £435 million ($574 million) at its site in Yeovil, southwest England, as well as in research and development programs across Britain, where it operates in 8 locations, Starmer’s office said. Marcegaglia will spend £50 million to build an electric arc furnace at its steel plant in Sheffield, northern England.
The British premier has pledged to reset relations with European nations following a fractious 8 years during which the UK voted for Brexit and then completed its divorce from the bloc, a move which introduced fresh frictions on trade and strained diplomatic ties with its closest neighbors. Meloni said the two nations had signed a cooperation agreement in an effort to boost cross-border investment.
Starmer affirmed his support for the Global Combat Air Programme, an initiative by the UK, Italy and Japan to develop new fighter jets, describing it as a “vital project.” It was the premier’s strongest backing for the plan yet, amid an ongoing UK government review of its defense priorities. Previously Starmer has stopped short of guaranteeing the UK’s support for GCAP in future.
–With assistance from Alex Wickham and Stuart Biggs.
Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek
©2024 Bloomberg L.P.
