Starmer under fire from Momentum over interest in ‘offshoring’ asylum seekers

Sir Keir Starmer is facing criticism from far-left group Momentum over his “disturbing” interest in processing asylum seekers overseas.

Earlier this month, the Labour leader said that despite vowing to scrap the Tories’ Rwanda deportation policy if he won office, he was open to “offshoring”.

That is the practice of removing asylum seekers who arrive illegally in the UK to a third country, although – unlike the Rwanda plan – if approved they would then live in Britain.

Momentum, the Left-wing activist group launched to push Jeremy Corbyn’s agenda when he was Labour leader, issued a statement on Tuesday criticising Sir Keir’s offshoring interest.

It said: “This is a disturbing report. Labour should not be the party of more deportations and more effective offshoring, and it doesn’t need to be. As migration experts have said, the way to minimise perilous small boat crossings is to expand safe routes for refugees.

“Instead of aping inhumane Tory policies like offshoring asylum seekers, Keir Starmer should be standing up for progressive values and migrants’ rights. In doing so, he can offer a practical alternative to the Tories’ cruel and divisive war on migrants.”

Labour insiders have set three tests for any offshoring scheme, according to The Times, which are that the plan must be cost-effective, credible as a deterrent, and “legally watertight”.

The Tory proposal for Rwanda deportation flights was recently ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court, forcing Downing Street to sign a new treaty with Rwanda and propose a new law to improve it.