Sir Keir Starmer and Mark Carney at a bilateral meeting in Ottawa
GB News
Starmer made the vow while speaking to reporters en route to Canada
Additional reporting by Oliver Trapnell
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Sir Keir Starmer will hold talks about the small boats crisis with the leaders of France, Germany and Italy at the G7 in Canada.
The Prime Minister said he would be using a meeting of world leaders to raise concerns about the stream of migrants crossing the English Channel illegally to enter the UK.
Figures are now well ahead of where they were under the Tory Government.
There has been concern over video footage showing French police failing to prevent migrants from climbing into dinghies and ahead across to the south coast of England from northern France.
Speaking to reporters en route to Canada, Starmer said: "One of the things we’ve worked hard at is improving the relations with the French in relation to the work we both need to do to stop these boat crossings, which I’m determined we will absolutely bear down on.
"Nobody should be making that journey.
"As a result of that, we are seeing a much greater cooperation in northern France.
"It’s an issue that I have raised and will raise again with President Macron.
"We have good relations between the Home Secretary and the Interior Minister now that we’re working on jointly."
Starmer said he would be raising the issue with Emmanuel Macron, Giorgia Meloni and Friedrich Merz
PA
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
REUTERS
Starmer said he would be raising the issue with French President Emmanuel Macron, Italy's Giorgia Meloni and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The PM added: "It’s one of the issues I’ll be discussing - not just with Macron, actually, but discussing it with Georgia Meloni, Friedrich Merz, and others."
Last week, GB News revealed more than 15,000 small boat migrants had crossed the English Channel so far this year.
After a week of no arrivals owing to poor weather conditions, multiple migrant boats were spotted and tracked as they attempted to cross to UK waters.
Starmer will raise the issue of illegal migration with French President Emmanuel Macron
REUTERS
Starmer will raise the issue of illegal migration with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
REUTERS
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told GB News that Labour’s border controls had collapsed.
He said: "15,000 illegal Channel crossings and its only June. 2025 is the worst year ever for small boat crossings so far.
"While traffickers and criminal gangs rake in millions, Labour Ministers stand in Westminster rehearsing soundbites. This is a total collapse of border control.
"How many more records does Keir Starmer need to break before he finally admits his plan is failing? He should never have scrapped the removals deterrent the previous Conservative Government put in place.
"Only the Conservatives have a serious, deliverable plan to end ECHR obstructions, introduce a binding annual cap on migration, implement measures to actual deter these crossings, and restore control of who comes into this country. Britain cannot wait any longer."
A group of people thought to be migrants wait in the sea to board an approaching small boat at Gravelines, France, in an attempt to reach the UK by crossing the English Channel
PA
A Home Office spokesperson said: "The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay and we will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.
"That is why this Government has put together a serious plan to take down these networks at every stage.
"Through international intelligence sharing under our Border Security Command, enhanced enforcement operations in Northern France and tougher legislation in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, we are strengthening international partnerships and boosting our ability to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal gangs whilst strengthening the security of our borders."