Sir Keir Starmer used his first visit to Albania to announce the UK is keen to set up “return hubs” to deport migrants.
Formal discussions are under way, he said, with various countries. We don’t know which these are, but we know which aren’t keen – rather awkwardly, Albania.
Their prime minister, Edi Rama, said he remained “loyal” to their “marriage” with Italy – relations with other countries are “simply love”.
The Conservatives say the trip is therefore an embarrassment for Sir Keir. His team say this was never on the agenda for this trip, which is about joint policing and intelligence sharing.
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First of all, what are return hubs?
Essentially, return hubs are processing centres for people who have exhausted all their options to stay in the UK – including asylum applications, appeals and attempts to claim certain work or study visas.
They will be sent back to their home country, and while that happens, they can go to these return hubs – to prevent them absconding.
Officials said it would also prevent them starting a family, for example, and using that as part of their claim to stay in the UK.
Italy has one already but it’s not used
Georgia Meloni’s government has been keen on these for some time, and has built two in Albania – at the port of Shengjin, and the village of Gjader – big enough for 36,000 people a year.
But both, which Sky News visited last year, are currently empty. The courts in Rome say they can’t be used until the European Court of Justice rules them safe. A ruling is expected next month.
Although, in a boost to the UK government’s plans, the UN’s refugee agency, has backed the principle of return hubs, if they meet human rights standards.
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PM confirms ‘return hubs’ plan
Is this like the Rwanda plan?
Spending millions on housing for migrants that then lies empty may sound familiar- but this is different to the Rwanda plan.
Agreed by the Conservatives, Rwanda was scrapped by Sir Keir when Labour won office – he said it was “unethical, unworkable and extortionate”.
The key difference is that under the Rwanda plan, asylum seekers would not be able to claim to stay in the UK – they would be deported and could only apply to stay in Rwanda. This was ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court.
Why did Albania say no?
The UK hasn’t always endeared itself to Albania, with comments by former home secretary Suella Braverman about an “invasion” of “Albanian criminals” causing anger here.
David Cameron cut short a much-anticipated visit, as foreign secretary, to just 89 minutes, when the 2024 general election was called – causing offence.
And Mr Rama pointedly talked about the “stigmatising” of Albanians living legally in the UK.
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Andi Hoxhaj, a Balkan expert at Kings’ College London, told me: “The UK just hasn’t put in the work. It’s the first visit by a UK prime minister 103 years after diplomatic relations were established. Starmer and Yvette Cooper understand this and want warmer relations. But it was wishful thinking that a return hub would be agreed.”
So who else might have one?
The government has been concentrating their efforts to “smash the gangs” on the Western Balkans.
The joint enforcement in Albania, has – according to the National Crime Agency – been a model which other countries could follow.
There are likely to be discussions at the European Political Community summit on Friday with countries such as Serbia, North Macedonia and Montenegro to scope out their interest, and the UK is hosting a Western Balkans summit in London in autumn 2025.
So, all is not lost – but there are big legal and logistical hurdles to overcome.
