British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak chalks up a deal with Italy to stem the flow of migrants

A report in The Telegraph suggests that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is working on a deal with Italy to address the issue of migrants crossing the Mediterranean and returning them to North Africa.

To negotiate this deal, Sunak sent Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, the UK’s top civil servant, to Italy for two days of meetings with senior government officials.

A government source stated that the discussions in Rome aimed to enhance cooperation in tackling illegal migration, which is a key priority for the Prime Minister and the British public. The source emphasized the need to address the issue at its source and not just focus on small boats.

In April, the UK and Italy signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as part of their “Strategic Migration Partnership” to address the illegal migration crisis.

At the beginning of the year, Sunak outlined five pledges for 2023, including a commitment to stopping illegal migration into the UK. Home Secretary Suella Braverman subsequently introduced the Illegal Migration Bill to the House of Commons. Sunak made it clear that those who arrive in the UK illegally would not be eligible to claim asylum.

However, a month later, Sunak acknowledged that his plan to stop small boats crossing the English Channel would not be achieved immediately. He also extended the timeline for achieving his goals beyond the general elections.

Former Home Secretary Priti Patel had proposed the “Rwanda Asylum Policy” in April last year, under which immigrants who entered the UK illegally would be sent to Rwanda to seek asylum. However, the plan faced legal challenges, and the Court of Appeal recently blocked it, citing concerns that asylum seekers relocated to Rwanda might be wrongly returned to their home countries.

Despite the setback, Sunak expressed optimism about overturning the court’s decision. However, the ruling posed a challenge to his party’s strategy for tackling the issue.

The immigration crisis reached its peak in 2022, with over 45,000 people entering the UK, surpassing the previous year’s record by more than 17,000 individuals.