Keir Starmer has revealed plans to establish "return hubs" abroad for failed asylum seekers as part of a strategy to combat illegal immigration.
The Prime Minister outlined how these hubs would help process individuals who have exhausted all appeals in the UK system and need to be returned to their countries of origin.
The announcement comes after his Government scrapped the Rwanda scheme that the Tory government failed to enforce.
This latest initiative forms part of a broader approach to tackle what Starmer described as a "vile trade" in Channel crossings.
Keir Starmer is in Albania to discuss the return hubs
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The Prime Minister explained: "Now what we want to do, and are having discussions and talks of, is return hubs. These would be used when someone has been through the system in the UK and needs to be returned.
"We have to make sure those returns are carried out effectively, and we’ll do that, if possible, through return hubs.
"That’s what the talks are focused on. I would say that in this area, no single measure is going to be, if you like, a silver bullet.
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"But by putting it all together: arrests, seizures, agreements with other countries, returning people who shouldn’t be here, and establishing return hubs through these talks, we can strengthen our approach.
"It will allow us to bear down on this vile trade and help stop people from crossing the Channel."
The pressure on Starmer to address illegal immigration has intensified following recent data showing more than 12,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats since the start of the year.
The issue has gained particular urgency since the local elections, where Reform UK emerged as the most popular party.
This electoral shift has prompted concern among Labour MPs, who are pressing the Prime Minister for effective action.
Officials have reportedly been developing plans for return hubs for months as part of the government's response to this growing migration challenge.
The European Union announced in March its approval for member states to pursue return hubs, aligning with Starmer's approach to collaborate with other European countries.
Officials have reportedly been developing plans for return hubs for months as part of the government's response to this growing migration challenge
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Significantly, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has endorsed the concept of return hubs and outlined how they could meet human rights standards.
Government sources indicate that the UN endorsement is considered vital to the plan's viability.
This support from international bodies comes after the UNHCR's intervention in legal challenges against the previous Conservative government's Rwanda scheme, which ultimately led to it being ruled unlawful.
The international backing provides Starmer with a stronger legal foundation than his predecessors had for offshore processing.
Starmer has expressed willingness to pursue "anything that works" to address illegal migration, provided solutions remain "consistent with international law."
