British PM warns migrants could ‘overwhelm’ countries

Changes to global refugee rules could be needed to tackle illegal migration, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said, as he warned of the threat of migrants to “overwhelm” European countries, Report informs via Standard.

At a gathering of Italian conservatives and right-wingers in Rome, Sunak offered a stark warning about illegal migration and the need for radical solutions to tackle the issue.

Sunak said “enemies” want to use migration as a “weapon”, “deliberately driving people to our shores to try to destabilise our society”.

“If we do not tackle this problem, the numbers will only grow. It will overwhelm our countries and our capacity to help those who actually need our help the most.

“If that requires us to update our laws and lead an international conversation to amend the post-war frameworks around asylum, then we must do that.

“Because if we don’t fix this problem now, the boats will keep coming and more lives will be lost at sea.”

He had warm praise for Italian prime minster Giorgia Meloni, at whose Brothers of Italy annual Atreju event he was speaking.

Meloni is another prime minister who has sought to lead tough action on migrants arriving across the Mediterranean, and the two leaders have developed a close partnership in recent months.

While in Rome on the one-day trip, Sunak also met Meloni and Albania’s prime minister Edi Rama for talks on illegal migration.