Illegal migrants may be housed in rented homes as they wait to be processed in Britain, Sir Keir Starmer told GB News.
Starmer also refused to deny that net migration might not increase if the UK agrees a deal with the European Union to allow freedom of movement for 18 to 30 year olds.
The Prime Minister was speaking as the number of migrants who have crossed the Channel illegally in small boats from France to southern England soared past 10,000 so far this year.
Starmer said that "obviously while people are waiting for their claims to be processed we have got to find accommodation" when pressed twice if they will be put up in privately rented homes in communities across the UK.
Illegal migrants may be housed in rented homes as they wait to be processed in Britain, Sir Keir Starmer told GB News
Getty/ GB News
His remarks came after it emerged that private contractor Serco is offering landlords five-year rent deals to house asylum-seekers at the taxpayers’ expense.
In promotional literature, the firm boasts that it is already responsible for more than 30,000 asylum seekers in an “ever growing” portfolio of more than 7,000 properties.
Ministers are desperate to cut the soaring hotel bills to house migrants. Privately rented homes will be seen as a cheaper option.
Asked on Monday whether some of the 10,000 who have arrived here illegally this year "will be living in rented homes next to GB News viewers", Starmer said: "This is a serious problem. The last Government lost control of our borders and it falls to us now to clear up that mess.
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"I am absolutely convinced that we have to take down the gangs that are running the vile trade of putting people into boats in the first place.
"That is why we are passing our Borders Bill which will give our law enforcement much greater powers. The Conservatives voted against that Bill, if you can believe it.
"That is why we are also processing claims where people shouldn't be in this country they should be removed. And we have removed 24,000 since we have been in Government - and that is the highest for nearly 10 years and that is the right thing to do.
"And in answer to your question about how people should be housed, they have no right to be here, they shouldn't be housed here at all, they should be processed and removed, and that is what we are focused on."
Asked on Monday whether some of the 10,000 who have arrived here illegally this year 'will be living in rented homes next to GB News viewers', Starmer said: 'This is a serious problem. The last Government lost control of our borders and it falls to us now to clear up that mess'
GB News
Asked again if that meant they would be in rented accommodation he replied: "Obviously while people are waiting for their claims to be processed we have got to find accommodation. There is a record backlog because of the past government - you know that, I know that.
"The best thing we can do is to process those claims, where people shouldn't be here, they should be gone and deported and that is why I am really pleased that 24,000 have now been removed.
"They had no right to be there, we have processed their claims and they are gone. Under the last government there was just an ever-expanding pool of people not being processed."
Starmer refused to guarantee that net migration will not increase if the UK agrees a freedom of movement deal for the under-30s as part of the so-called reset in the relationship with the EU.
Starmer said: "We are having productive discussions with the EU. We said we would reset the relations. The events of the past few months in terms of security and trade and economy show why it is important that we have that reset.
"We have clearly got red lines - I am not going to provide a running commentary - but we are making progress and I hope we can do as we set out and reset that relationship."
