Italy's far-right leader praises Rishi Sunak over illegal migration
Italy’s far-right leader Giorgia Meloni praises Rishi Sunak’s work tackling illegal migration as she arrives in London for talks – before getting a private tour of Westminster Abbey ahead of the coronation of Charles III
- The Italian prime minister said said the UK Government is doing ‘very well’
- Melloni praised Rishi Sunak as ‘a very strong leader’ as she visited No10
Italy’s far-right leader Giorgia Meloni praised Rishi Sunak’s clampdown on Channel migrants today as she visited Downing Street for talks.
The Italian prime minister said said the UK Government is doing ‘very well’ at tackling the thousands of people crossing from the continent, as she began a two-day visit to London.
Rishi Sunak said the UK and Italy’s values are ‘very aligned’, allowing the two nations to work together on shared challenges as he welcomed her to No10.
They are expected to sign an agreement on migration among other issues this afternoon.
They will then head to Westminster Abbey for a private tour – as the church is prepared for the coronation of Charles III on May 6.
Speaking ahead of their private meeting Ms Meloni told reporters: ‘Tackling traffickers and illegal migration is something that your Government is doing very well. I’m following your work and I absolutely agree with your work and I think there are many things that we can do together.’
She praised Rishi Sunak as ‘a very strong leader’ and hailed a ‘new beginning’ for bilateral co-operation.
The Prime Minister greeted his Italian counterpart at the famous black door of No 10, where they kissed each other on the cheeks, shook hands and smiled at the cameras.
The leaders are expected to discuss tackling irregular migration – a key issue for both governments, as well as a defence partnership and support for Ukraine.
Ms Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party leads the country’s first hard right-led government since the Second World War.
The Prime Minister greeted his Italian counterpart at the famous black door, where they kissed each other on the cheeks, shook hands and smiled at the cameras.
They appeared to comment on the drizzly weather as they exchanged a few words before heading inside for talks.
Speaking ahead of their private meeting he said: ‘I think the values between our two countries are very aligned, which is why we can work so well together on shared challenges, whether it’s responding to Putin’s illegal invasion in Ukraine, where again I pay tribute to your leadership, but also tackling illegal migration, which is something that is common to both of us.’
He said the memorandum of understanding the two leaders will sign will ‘strengthen our cooperation in those areas and many more’.
The leaders are expected to also discuss a defence partnership and support for Ukraine.
Stemming the flow of migrants – whether in small boats across the English Channel or from north Africa across the Mediterranean – is a key issue for both leaders.
The meeting comes a day after the Government’s flagship asylum Bill cleared its final stages in the House of Commons, though it will face a stiff test in the Lords when it undergoes further scrutiny.
The Illegal Migration Bill will change the law so people who arrive in the UK illegally will be detained and then promptly removed, either to their home country or a safe third country such as Rwanda.
In Italy, Ms Meloni has led a crackdown on migrant smugglers and on rescue ships operated by charities, which she argues encourage migrants to risk dangerous voyages in the hope of reaching Europe.
The two leaders’ meeting is also expected to focus on the agreement between the UK, Italy and Japan to develop next-generation fighter jets.
The defence partnership, announced in December, aims to see the planes – called Tempest in the UK – take to the skies by 2035 and serve as a successor to the RAF Typhoon.
Continued support for Ukraine in its struggle against Russia’s invasion is also likely to feature in their talks.
Mr Sunak and Ms Meloni first met on the sidelines of the Cop27 climate summit in Egypt last November, weeks after they both took office within days of each other.
According to a read-out from No 10 at the time, they ‘had a positive discussion on a range of shared issues and priorities, including tackling illegal migration and people-smuggling gangs’.
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