What's happened
Following a summit with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, UK Labour leader Keir Starmer expressed interest in a migration deal similar to Italy's agreement with Albania. This comes amid rising concerns over illegal immigration and the effectiveness of current policies.
Why it matters
What the papers say
The Independent highlights Starmer's openness to a migration deal, noting that some readers support outsourcing migration processes, while others question its cost-effectiveness. The Telegraph discusses Italy's decline in illegal immigration, attributing it to the Albanian deal and the Mattei Plan, but warns that the UK may not achieve similar results due to different legal frameworks. The Independent also reflects on public opinions, with some advocating for stricter domestic policies and questioning the leniency of current measures.
How we got here
Italy has seen a significant drop in illegal immigration under Meloni's leadership, attributed to the Albanian deal and the Mattei Plan, which aims to address root causes of migration. The UK is facing increasing pressure to manage its own immigration crisis.
More on these topics
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Albania, officially the Republic of Albania, is a country in Southeast Europe on the Adriatic and Ionian Sea within the Mediterranean Sea.
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Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a sovereign country consisting of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and surrounded by several islands. Italy is located in south-central Europe, and is considered part of western Europe.
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Sir Keir Rodney Starmer KCB QC MP is a British politician and former lawyer who has served as Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition since 2020. He has been Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras since 2015.
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Rwanda, formerly Ruanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley where the African Great Lakes region and East Africa converge. One of the smallest countries on the African mainland, its capital city is Kigali.
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Amnesty International is a non-governmental organization with its headquarters in the United Kingdom focused on human rights. The organization says it has more than eight million members and supporters around the world.