London, Thanasis Gavos

Labor leader and likely next UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced the use of counter-terrorism powers to “crush” migrant smuggling gangs if he wins the upcoming election.

Speaking in Dover, where most of the boats carrying irregular migrants crossing the Channel arrive, Mr Starmer said that as prime minister he would introduce a new Border Security Agency. This would be made up of units from the National Crime Agency, the Immigration Enforcement Directorate, the Attorney General’s Office and the MI5 security service.

Under the powers given to counter-terrorism agencies, the new Administration will be able to carry out checks on people suspected of being members of migrant-smuggling gangs, freeze bank accounts, impose travel restrictions and track suspects.

The Conservative government dismissed the announcements as a rehash of existing measures and insisted the “deterrent” measure of deporting irregular migrants to Rwanda to apply for asylum was correct.

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to withdraw the Rwanda Act, although he hinted that any deportation flights already planned would go ahead when he took office.

Asked how much of a reduction in Channel arrivals he would like to see, Mr Starmer said he would like to see them “decline completely”.

The Labor leader was introduced by local MP Natalie Elphick, who only joined the main opposition party from the Conservatives on Wednesday.

Ms Elphick comes from the far right wing of the Tories and her welcome to the party has sparked backlash from Labor MPs.

As she said this morning when introducing the leader of her new party, “a new approach” to immigration is needed, distinct from “the lack of results” of Sunak’s policy.