Labour PM Faces Backlash at Home and Abroad After Copying Tory-Style Deportation Plan
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s sharp pivot right on immigration — including proposals for offshore “return hubs” for failed asylum seekers — has triggered a storm of controversy, culminating in a public snub from Albania, his top target for the plan.
Just months after scrapping the Conservative government’s Rwanda deportation scheme, Starmer has unveiled a strikingly similar strategy, leaving many wondering: what changed — and why so fast?
Starmer’s New Hardline Immigration Package
Since taking office, Starmer has dramatically shifted Labour’s stance on immigration. Key features of his new policy framework include:
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Doubling the residency requirement for UK citizenship from 5 to 10 years
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Stricter English language requirements for visa applicants
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Bans on overseas recruitment of care workers
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Expanded deportation powers for a broader list of crimes
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Visa tightening and revocation authority under Home Office control
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And now: offshore “return hubs” for asylum seekers whose claims are rejected
In a visit to Albania this week — reminiscent of his earlier trip to meet Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni — Starmer promoted the “return hub” concept as a necessary tool to combat what he called the “vile trade” of human trafficking in the English Channel.
“These [return hubs] would be used when someone has been through the system in the UK and needs to be returned,” Starmer explained. “No single measure is a silver bullet — but this will help stop people from crossing the Channel.”
Political Pressure Mounts After Local Election Wake-Up Call
Starmer’s pivot comes amid rising pressure from the surging Reform UK party, which outperformed Labour and Tories in several local elections with a blunt, no-nonsense anti-migration platform. With over 12,000 illegal crossings via small boats already recorded this year, the government is scrambling for answers.
But Starmer’s effort to outflank the right now looks politically and diplomatically shaky.
Albania Says No: “Loyal to Italy”
In a blow to Starmer’s plan, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama — fresh off a reelection victory — publicly rejected the UK’s request to host failed asylum seekers in his country.
“We have been asked by several countries if we are open to it,” Rama stated, “and we said no. We are loyal to the marriage with Italy.”
Albania currently hosts two migration centers in partnership with Italy, a deal rooted in unique geographic and diplomatic ties. Rama made it clear that Britain would not be granted the same courtesy.
This leaves Starmer’s cornerstone plan dead on arrival, at least in Albania — and casts doubt on the viability of the UK securing similar arrangements elsewhere.
Critics: A Poorly Disguised Rwanda Reboot
The backlash hasn’t just come from abroad. Political observers, civil rights groups, and even elements within Labour’s own base are accusing Starmer of hypocrisy — abandoning core Labour values while reviving a plan they once demonized.
“What’s the difference between this and Rwanda?” one Labour MP reportedly fumed off the record. “It’s deportation by another name.”
Others point out that the return hub idea lacks legal and logistical clarity — especially since the UK would need bilateral treaties and massive infrastructure to implement such hubs on foreign soil.
Final Word: Starmer Caught Between Crisis and Credibility
Keir Starmer’s immigration reversal — once seen as a tactical shift to neutralize Reform UK — now appears to be collapsing under its own contradictions. By adopting Tory policy, losing international credibility, and alienating portions of his own base, Starmer risks finding himself with no working plan and no political cover.
The Albanian rejection isn’t just a diplomatic hiccup — it may be the early death knell of his flagship immigration policy. And it leaves Britain’s migration crisis more unresolved than ever.
For Starmer, pivoting right was easy. Delivering results? Not so much.
