Labour vows to ‘prioritise’ migrants from ‘safe countries’ first in bid to end small boats crisis

The Government will “prioritise” processing asylum claims made by illegal immigrants from “safe countries”, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has been tipped to announce.

Cooper, who today claimed Rishi Sunak’s Government spent £700million on its Rwanda scheme, is expected to clear much of the backlog by addressing claims from migrants originally from India, Vietnam and Albania.

Asylum seekers from such countries have been warned they are far less likely to have their claims accepted.

Only three per cent of claims from India were accepted, with just seven per cent being accepted from Albania.

However, Vietnamese asylum seekers had a 46 per cent acceptance rate.

Channel crossing migrants from Vietnam made up the largest number of asylum seekers making the perilous 21-mile journey in the first three months of 2024.

However, the move is expected to grant up to 70,000 migrants asylum in the UK.

Labour’s plan also includes reversing Sunak’s Illegal Migration Act.

The ex-Prime Minister barred anyone arriving illegally since March 2023 from being granted asylum.

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Starmer hopes Labour’s proposal will speed up processing, end asylum hotels and clear a backlog of 120,000 claims.

A new 200-strong rapid returns unit is also being set up by the Immigration Enforcement agency.

Cooper is hoping to recruit or redeploy a further 800 officials by the end of the year.

The UK cannot return migrants to “unsafe” countries due to domestic legislation and international law such as the European Convention on Human Rights, including Iran and Syria.

Starmer today announced Labour would now withdraw from the ECHR.

The Prime Minister told MPs: “There is no need to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.

“That is not consistent with the values of that blood bond [after the Second World War] and so we won’t withdraw, not now, not ever.

“Because the basic fact is the priorities of the British people do require us to work across borders with our partners.

“A Government of service at home requires a government of strength abroad.”

Migrants have continued to cross the Channel since Labour won the 2024 General Election with a landslide majority.

Six migrants died in the Channel since July 5, with 2,143 asylum seekers reaching British shores.

More than 15,700 migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats in 2024 so far, 50 per cent higher than this time last year and three per cent higher than the figure set at this stage in the record-breaking year of 2022.

The Home Office said: “We are enhancing the ability to fast-track removals to safe countries for people without the right to be here, as well as co-ordinating action upstream to stop the gangs through a new Border Security Command.

“The Home Secretary has already taken the first crucial steps and more action will following in the coming weeks.”