Keir Starmer blasted for 'handing control' to Brussels by renegotiating migrant deal: 'We must protect our borders!'

He added: "I don’t think we did as well as we should have done when we came to the question of cross border, crime and security, and that’s why we want to improve on it. And that can be done at the EU level."

Speaking to GB News, former Deputy Leader Ben Habib fumed at Labour's decision, claiming that the UK suddenly stepping into Europe to "sort out the people smuggling gangs" is "for the birds".

Habib told host Martin Daubney: "We tend to think of cooperation between nation states as genuine cooperation between nation states, but it isn't when it comes to the EU.

"If you're talking about cooperation on a judicial basis, on an intelligence basis or a military basis, that is not cooperation as equals, that is cooperation under the direction of Brussels."

Hitting out at the plans to renegotiate, Habib warned that the move will cause the UK to "give up our independent intelligence gathering" to the EU.

Habib stated: "Brussels always has its political foot on the pedal. We talk about intelligence cooperation with the European Union, so that we can lead the charge on tackling the people smuggling gangs - but actually, what he's saying is that we will be giving up our independent intelligence gathering ability to control by Brussels.

"It's a very significant but slightly different nuance to the way he would portray it. They always portray it as this equals coming together, but it's never about equals."

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Noting the efforts of the EU and Interpol in tackling illegal migration across Europe and into Britain, Habib claimed that so far they have "failed" in decreasing numbers, and it is a bid on Starmer's part to "get cozy" with both entities.

Habib raged: "It's a pretext to get closer intelligence cooperation, which will be closer security cooperation, which goes hand in glove with closer military cooperation, and closer military cooperation, which will be under the direction of Brussels.

"We need to show political will and a bit of muscle to protect our borders. The Government's first duty is to protect its people. How can you protect these people if you have people coming into the country about whom you know nothing?"

Criticising Labour's reliability on the EU to help tackle migration issues, Martin Daubney claimed that the UK "needs to have it out with France", or risk a "diplomatic incident".

Habib responded: "Since when does the protection of the United Kingdom turn on a foreign partner? We have our own military services, we have our own personal agency. We have our own government that is obliged to the British people. It should be our boats.

"Let's have it out with France - they've got the thick end of £1billion of British taxpayer's money on the promise that they would stop the boats from launching from their beaches, and they haven't stopped it."

He added: "In fact, these boats now are coming all the way down French canals, launching deep inside France, coming through their canals, into the Channel and into our waters.

"We need a speedboat with well trained people, drones, barrages, whatever it takes to identify, intercept the dinghies and require them to turn around. They made the 12.5 mile journey to the point of our territorial waters. They can make the 12.5 mile journey back to France."