Luke Myer MP has welcomed the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s announcement for a decisive new strategy to tackle illegal immigration, focused on bolstering border security and dismantling criminal smuggling operations.
During a visit to Hemlington, Yvette Cooper emphasised that the increasing number of dangerous boat crossings poses serious risks, both to lives and to the integrity of the UK’s borders.
She said, “We’ve seen dangerous boat crossings undermining our border security and putting lives at risk. And it has been driven by organised criminal gangs who are making hundreds of millions of pounds from these operations. That’s why, as some of Labour’s first steps for government, we have set up a new Border Security Command with counterterrorism powers and new cross-border police and investigators, to go after these gangs. With new agreements right across Europe, we’re working to smash these networks. We need to boost our border security, and after so many years of Conservative gimmicks and too many people chasing headlines, it’s time to get a proper grip.”
A central component of this plan is deepening collaboration with international partners to track and dismantle human trafficking networks. The Home Secretary highlighted the importance of cooperation with countries like France and other European partners to counteract the cross-border reach of these gangs, highlighting that only through strengthened intelligence-sharing and coordinated action can the UK effectively disrupt illegal smuggling networks.
To support this initiative, the Home Secretary recently announced a £75 million investment in border security, which brings the total funding for the Border Security Command to £150 million over the next two years. This investment will enhance the Command’s capabilities with advanced technology, 300 additional staff members, 100 specialist investigators, and a dedicated OIC Intelligence Source Unit focused on detecting and disrupting smuggling operations at every stage.
Luke Myer MP expressed the urgency of the government’s mission, saying,
“For too long, criminal networks have exploited our system, making millions off the backs of vulnerable people. We owe it to the British people to replace chaos with control, to end this vile trade, and bring those responsible to justice. Anything less would be a betrayal of our values and our security.
“We need a border policy that moves beyond superficial fixes and invests in substantive action. The Home Secretary’s plan to work alongside European allies and UK intelligence agencies sets a foundation for a secure and humane border system that serves both the nation’s interests and those genuinely in need of refuge.”
Speaking in the Chamber on the ‘Small Boat Crossings’ debate led by the Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle MP, Luke asked,
“One of the most colossal failures under the previous Government was the chaos in the channel and the associated backlog in the system, yet the Conservatives seem to have come here today to tell the British people that they had it all under control. Can the Minister reassure my constituents of the serious steps she is taking to disrupt the gangs, speed up returns and end this chaos.”
Minister for Border Security Dame Angela Eagle replied,
“Yes; my hon. Friend’s constituents can be assured that a great deal of work is going on, and more resources are being applied. A lot more intelligence is being gathered, much of which cannot be discussed publicly. We are on it.”
