Labour faces an 'uphill struggle' to reduce Channel migrant crossings under the party's undefined plans to 'stop the boats', according to a migration expert.
But the Tories have claimed Labour's interest in striking a returns agreement with the EU would see Britain obliged to take a quota of the bloc's asylum seekers in return. Speaking to The Times, Ms Sumption warned Labour would find it difficult to significantly reduce small boat crossings. 'But the question is whether it'll have a significant impact on small boat arrivals because the smuggling networks are quite decentralised.
In September last year, Sir Keir said he would seek an EU-wide returns agreement for asylum seekers who come to Britain.Ms Sumption said: 'If Labour were to pursue some kind of co-operation with the EU there are scenarios where very many more could be sent to Europe than would have been sent to Rwanda, although that is theoretical because we've not seen the Rwanda policy put into action.