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<\/p>\nNigel Farage warned Sir Keir Starmer has made a “very, very big mistake” over his new plans to tackle the small boats crisis.<\/p>\n
The Labour leader pledged to treat people smugglers like terrorists and hinted at an EU returns agreement which may involve accepting quotas of migrants from the bloc.<\/p>\n
But Mr Farage insisted the proposals by Sir Keir – who travelled to The Hague for talks with the EU’s Europol law enforcement agency – “won’t work”.<\/p>\n
He also warned the plan would drag Britain closer to Brussels.<\/p>\n
The GB News presenter said: “Today we’ve learned what the Labour solution to the Channel crisis, or perhaps some would even say Channel emergency, is.<\/p>\n
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READ MORE: <\/strong> Farage warns Remainers face major ’embarrassment’ when ‘penny drops’ over EU<\/strong><\/p>\n “Sir Keir Starmer has revealed all. He is going to smash the gangs, he’s going to treat the gangs as if they were terrorists, and we’re going to take a lead in Europe. I have heard that once or twice before in my career.<\/p>\n “So what’s the plan? Well, the plan is that we are going to rejoin Europol, not Interpol, where nation state police forces cooperate together, no Europol which is the EU’s own police force.<\/p>\n “But here’s the bit I can’t believe, even as members of the EU we did not join the EU’s refugee and asylum policy, we stayed out of it.<\/p>\n “But Starmer says that we will rejoin it, we’ll do a deal with Brussels, he’ll be off to see President Macron next week, the French will be nice and stop the boats coming.”<\/p>\n We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n His comments prompted laughter from audience members of the live show in Witham, Essex.<\/p>\n Mr Farage went on: “And in return we will then take our share of the number of people crossing the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n “Given that 8,000 people have arrived in Lampedusa alone, the Italian island, in the last three days, it seems to me we would actually be taking more people illegally coming from other parts of the world than we currently are.<\/p>\n “And I don’t believe for one moment it would even stop the boats. It’s a policy that won’t work and it’s a policy that takes us back much closer to be members of the EU.<\/p>\n “And I think Starmer’s Labour Party, frankly, have made a very, very big mistake today.”<\/p>\n Sir Keir’s move on to Tory turf with his small boats plan has sparked a vicious political battle with the Government.<\/p>\n Rishi Sunak claimed the proposals could result in 100,000 EU migrants coming to the UK every year, while Home Secretary Suella Braverman said the Labour leader would let the UK become a “dumping ground” for Europe’s migrants.<\/p>\n But Sir Keir said the response was “typical from a Government that’s completely lost control of the situation”.<\/p>\n He added: “It’s embarrassing that the Government is pumping out this nonsense. I can only assume it’s because they’ve got nothing sensible to say on the issue.”<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/139\/590x\/secondary\/Sir-Keir-Starmer-4960517.jpg?r=1694760013778\")
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