UK and Serbia Forge Migration Deal Amid Rising Channel Crossings
Foreign Secretary David Lammy to cement intelligence-sharing agreement as irregular border crossings reach record levels.
The United Kingdom is set to sign a migration agreement with Serbia, focusing on enhancing intelligence-sharing capabilities to combat people-smuggling operations.
This agreement comes in response to a significant surge in Channel crossings, with nearly 6,642 individuals reported to have crossed the English Channel in small boats during the first three months of 2025 alone, contributing to an overall total of approximately 30,000 crossings since the onset of Sir Keir Starmer's premiership.
The deal, which was initially announced five months prior by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at the European Political Community summit in Hungary, underscores the UK government's strategy to address challenges posed by irregular migration routes in the Western Balkans.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy is visiting the region this week to finalize the agreement that aims to allow both nations to exchange intelligence more swiftly, thereby disrupting organized immigration crime.
The Western Balkans is a notable transit point for migrants aiming to enter the European Union and the UK, with nearly 22,000 irregular crossings recorded last year.
During his visit, Lammy is expected to meet with various counterparts and women who have experienced human trafficking.
He is also scheduled to visit British troops stationed in Kosovo as part of NATO’s ongoing peacekeeping mission, KFOR.
The UK government views the stability of the Western Balkans as vital to European security, particularly given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and Russia's strategic interests in the region, which includes NATO member states Albania, North Macedonia, and Montenegro.
In this context, Lammy emphasized the escalating violence associated with human trafficking, asserting the UK’s commitment to securing borders and eradicating organized crime related to migrant smuggling.
Simultaneously, the UK political landscape regarding migration has become contentious.
The Green Party has accused the Labour Party of abandoning humane migration principles, highlighting the stark contrast in their recent campaign materials which touted significant deportation numbers as a policy achievement.
Co-leader of the Greens, Carla Denyer, criticized this stance as a betrayal of integrity, while the Labour Party has defended its approach, asserting that it is dedicated to addressing the immigration issues facing the nation and improving the asylum system.
Data indicates that the Labour government's recent policies have resulted in the highest rates of returns and removals in eight years, in alignment with the newly established Border Security Command's initiative aimed at combating human trafficking networks.
In another development, Glasgow City Council has raised concerns over the asylum system's impact on social cohesion in the city, reporting that an influx of homeless refugees has exerted unprecedented pressures on local services.
As the largest asylum dispersal area outside London, Glasgow has seen a notable rise in the number of individuals seeking homelessness support, exacerbated by changes in asylum processing and the accelerated efforts to reduce backlog within the Home Office.
The council is particularly troubled by the increased numbers of individuals granted leave to remain who then turn to Glasgow for housing assistance.
Council officials have indicated that without adequate compensation from the government, the rising demands may lead to social unrest.
In an effort to address these challenges, the city council plans to engage with the UK government’s asylum minister Angela Eagle during her upcoming visit, seeking solutions that maintain Glasgow's commitment to supporting asylum-seekers while also ensuring local communities are not adversely affected by the ongoing system's strains.
The UK government has announced initiatives to improve transition periods for newly recognized refugees, including a pilot program that extends the time allotted for moving from asylum accommodation.
This agreement comes in response to a significant surge in Channel crossings, with nearly 6,642 individuals reported to have crossed the English Channel in small boats during the first three months of 2025 alone, contributing to an overall total of approximately 30,000 crossings since the onset of Sir Keir Starmer's premiership.
The deal, which was initially announced five months prior by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at the European Political Community summit in Hungary, underscores the UK government's strategy to address challenges posed by irregular migration routes in the Western Balkans.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy is visiting the region this week to finalize the agreement that aims to allow both nations to exchange intelligence more swiftly, thereby disrupting organized immigration crime.
The Western Balkans is a notable transit point for migrants aiming to enter the European Union and the UK, with nearly 22,000 irregular crossings recorded last year.
During his visit, Lammy is expected to meet with various counterparts and women who have experienced human trafficking.
He is also scheduled to visit British troops stationed in Kosovo as part of NATO’s ongoing peacekeeping mission, KFOR.
The UK government views the stability of the Western Balkans as vital to European security, particularly given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and Russia's strategic interests in the region, which includes NATO member states Albania, North Macedonia, and Montenegro.
In this context, Lammy emphasized the escalating violence associated with human trafficking, asserting the UK’s commitment to securing borders and eradicating organized crime related to migrant smuggling.
Simultaneously, the UK political landscape regarding migration has become contentious.
The Green Party has accused the Labour Party of abandoning humane migration principles, highlighting the stark contrast in their recent campaign materials which touted significant deportation numbers as a policy achievement.
Co-leader of the Greens, Carla Denyer, criticized this stance as a betrayal of integrity, while the Labour Party has defended its approach, asserting that it is dedicated to addressing the immigration issues facing the nation and improving the asylum system.
Data indicates that the Labour government's recent policies have resulted in the highest rates of returns and removals in eight years, in alignment with the newly established Border Security Command's initiative aimed at combating human trafficking networks.
In another development, Glasgow City Council has raised concerns over the asylum system's impact on social cohesion in the city, reporting that an influx of homeless refugees has exerted unprecedented pressures on local services.
As the largest asylum dispersal area outside London, Glasgow has seen a notable rise in the number of individuals seeking homelessness support, exacerbated by changes in asylum processing and the accelerated efforts to reduce backlog within the Home Office.
The council is particularly troubled by the increased numbers of individuals granted leave to remain who then turn to Glasgow for housing assistance.
Council officials have indicated that without adequate compensation from the government, the rising demands may lead to social unrest.
In an effort to address these challenges, the city council plans to engage with the UK government’s asylum minister Angela Eagle during her upcoming visit, seeking solutions that maintain Glasgow's commitment to supporting asylum-seekers while also ensuring local communities are not adversely affected by the ongoing system's strains.
The UK government has announced initiatives to improve transition periods for newly recognized refugees, including a pilot program that extends the time allotted for moving from asylum accommodation.
