FAR RIGHT' ROW OVER STARMER ITALIAN TRIP

Premier bats away critics of policy

- LIZZY BUCHAN

KEIR Starmer yesterday brushed aside critics of Italy’s tough immigration policies as he battled to end the small boats crisis.

The Prime Minister said Italy had made “remarkable progress” driving down illegal migration to its shores by 60 per cent last year, as he had talks with hard-right Italian PM Giorgia Meloni in Rome.

But his enthusiasm sparked a backlash, with one Labour MP hitting out at Italy’s “extreme far right government”.

The Italian government has brokered a deal to send asylum seekers to Albania for application processing.

Meloni told a joint press conference yesterday she had discussed the “offshoring” deal with Starmer, adding: “The UK Government has shown great interest in this.”