Keir Starmer open to return deals with Afghanistan and Eritrea but blasts Nigel Farage for putting 'UK on par with Russia'

“We’re not going to take anything off the table in terms of striking returns agreements with countries around the world," the No10 spokesman said.

"We clearly want to return people who have no right to be here.”

However, the Prime Minister's spokesman also swiped at Mr Farage over his commitment to take Britain out of the European Convention on Human Rights.

He said: “Let’s be clear: the ECHR underpins key international agreements on trade, security, migration and the Good Friday agreement.

"Anyone who is proposing to renegotiate the Good Friday agreement is not serious.”

The spokesman added: “We’re focused on the very serious policies to address this issue rather than a return to the gimmicks, the slogans, the chaos of the previous government.”

Sir Keir, who was formerly a human rights lawyer, remains convinced that leaving the Strasbourg court would put the UK on an equal footing with Russia and Belarus.

However, those advocating for the UK to cut ties with the ECHR point out that the United States, Australia and New Zealand have not signed up to the convention.

Mr Farage is calling for the UK to unilaterally leave the ECHR after a number of legal obstacles halted Rishi Sunak's Rwanda plan.

The Reform UK leader is also pushing for the repeal of Tony Blair's Human Rights Act and creation of a British Bill of Rights.

Speaking in Oxfordshire earlier today, Mr Farage said: “Blair, of course, wrote the ECHR into everything.

“He wrote it into everything to try and embed it deeply in British law.

“Can we renegotiate the Good Friday Agreement to get the ECHR out of it? Yes.

"Is that something that can happen very, very quickly? No, it will take longer.

“So, unfortunately and for a variety of reasons, previous governments have placed Northern Ireland, I’m afraid, in a different position to the rest of the United Kingdom, something that we vigorously opposed.

"It will take a little bit longer with Northern Ireland.”

However, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn labelled Mr Farage's plan as "dangerously irresponsible".

He added: “For Nigel Farage to talk flippantly about trying to remove one of the pillars of that historic agreement shows that he hasn’t got the faintest idea about the consequences."

Despite facing criticisms from his Labour rivals, Mr Farage hopes his proposals could lead to the deportation of around 600,000 illegal migrants.

However, more eyebrows were raised when the Clacton MP's so-called Operation Restoring Justice plan appeared to open the door to the UK paying the Taliban for a returns agreement.

The Liberal Democrats were left fuming after Zia Yusuf admitted the Taliban could receive funds from a £2billion budget ringfenced by Reform UK for migration accords.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “Reform’s proposals essentially add up to a Taliban tax: sending billions to an oppressive regime that British soldiers fought and died to defeat.

"Not a penny of taxpayers’ money should go to a group so closely linked to terrorist organisations proscribed by the UK.”

However, the Taliban appears to be entertaining the possibility of a deal between London and Kabul.

A spokesman for the terror group told The Telegraph: "We are prepared to work with anyone who can help end the struggles of Afghan refugees, as we know many of them do not have a good life abroad.

"We will not take money to accept our own people, but we welcome aid to support newcomers, since there are challenges in accommodating and feeding those returning from Iran and Pakistan.

"Afghanistan is home to all Afghans, and the Islamic Emirate is determined to make this country a place where everyone - those already here, those returning, or those being sent back from the West by Mr Farage or anyone else - can live with dignity."