Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, has called for people-smuggling to be treated with the same level of seriousness as terrorism. He made this statement while unveiling new measures aimed at preventing small boat crossings if Labour wins the next general election.

As part of the proposed plan, Labour intends to deepen intelligence ties with Europe through a new post-Brexit security pact. This pact would strengthen the powers available to authorities to restrict the movement of individuals suspected of being involved in organised immigration crime.

In his address, Sir Keir emphasised the paramount importance of national security, stating, “The first job of any government is national security – protecting the British people from threats that come from here and overseas.” He criticised the current government’s handling of criminal smuggling gangs orchestrating boat crossings and likened it to the significant security threats of climate change, hostile foreign powers, and terrorism.

The Labour leader, along with shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, has been working to bolster his credentials during a visit to The Hague this week. His strong stance on immigration crime is intended to win the trust of swing voters concerned about the rising number of Channel crossings, which exceeded 22,200 in 2023.

Among the key elements of Labour’s plan is the pursuit of a new agreement to share real-time intelligence with the European Union, akin to the Schengen Information System II, which the UK had access to before Brexit. The party also pledges to enhance the powers available to restrict the movement of people smugglers and traffickers by expediting the process for obtaining civil orders, known as serious crime prevention orders.

Sir Keir Starmer stated, “My Labour government will be twice as ruthless, to smash the gangs and secure British borders.” He criticised the government for allowing criminal smuggling gangs to flourish while engaging in what he referred to as empty rhetoric around illegal immigration.

His visit to Europol officials in The Hague is part of a broader international engagement strategy. Sir Keir has also reportedly planned meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and a visit to Montreal, Canada, for a summit of “progressive” politicians. There is speculation about a potential meeting with US President Joe Biden in the coming months, given the Labour leader’s interest in Biden’s economic and environmental policies.