Tuesday 1 November 2022 08:37 PM Sir Keir Starmer accused of 'trying to thwart efforts to stop boats crossing ... trends now
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Sir Keir Starmer sought to change the law so Channel migrants with a ‘fear of return’ could qualify for asylum, it has emerged.
The Labour leader also tried to ensure small boats arriving in UK waters could not be pushed back at sea.
He was accused of ‘trying to thwart efforts to stop boats crossing the Channel’ after his comments from 2015 were unearthed.
They show Sir Keir - then the shadow immigration minister under Jeremy Corbyn - wanted to change the law so that migrants crossing the Channel who expressed a ‘fear of return’ may qualify for asylum.
The Labour leader (pictured) also tried ensure small boats arriving in UK waters could not be pushed back at sea
An amendment, which was dropped, to the Immigration Bill said: ‘If in the course of questioning or otherwise a person expresses to or in the presence of an immigration officer, a fear of return that may be a claim for asylum then the person shall be taken
