PM blames Brexit for increase in Channel crossings

KEIR Starmer launched a fresh attack on Nigel Farage as he announced an end to “golden ticket" entry to the UK.

- BY DAVE BURKE Political Correspondent

Introducing measures to cut the rights of asylum seekers, the PM laid the blame for small boat crossings at the feet of the Reform UK leader.

He said Brexit, for which Mr Farage was a cheerleader in 2016, had made it harder to remove new arrivals.

Mr Starmer said: “Before we left the EU, we had a returns agreement with every country in the EU and he told the country it would make no difference if we left. He was wrong.