Channel migrants and failed asylum seekers could be sent to “return hubs”, Keir Starmer has revealed.

The Home Office has discussed proposals to set up overseas “return hubs” to house asylum seekers who have had their claims rejected and all appeals exhausted.

And the Prime Minister has admitted “we will look at anything that works” to create a deterrent and end the small boats crisis.

Sir Keir and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper denied they are reviving the Rwanda deportation scheme, which they branded a “gimmick”.

Officials are refusing to reveal who the Home Office is talking to, though Western Balkan nations are widely believed to be potential hosts.

Sir Keir said: “We will look at anything that works. Obviously that’s got to be consistent with international law and it’s got to be cost-effective. The Rwanda scheme was neither of those. But we are working with other countries on anything that we think will work.

“I obviously, as you know, went over to Italy to visit Giorgia Meloni to have an in-depth discussion with her about some of the work that she was doing.”

The countries involved would be paid by the UK for every failed asylum seeker they agreed to take on. The move would allow Britain to remove failed asylum seekers from countries such as Afghanistan, Iran and Syria.

A source described how the UK could deport an illegal migrant from Iran to a third country “returns hub” because they are at “the end of their asylum-seeking journey in Britain”.

The EU has already agreed to pursue a similar scheme. The new plan would create common regulations across the 27-member bloc so that immigration authorities in one EU country can enforce a deportation order issued by another EU country.

The EU would not build or manage the return hubs. Rather, it would negotiate with countries willing to take rejected asylum seekers.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, said she was happy to be supporting collaboration with the UK, in a recorded video played at the summit.

She said Italy’s approach with Albania to process claims offshore was initially criticised, but governments should not be afraid to imagine and build innovative solutions.

Meloni added that the model had “gained increasing consensus, so much so that today, the European Union is proposing to set up return hubs in third countries.

“This means that we were right and that the courage to lead the way has been rewarded.”

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper added: “We’ve spoken to the Italian Interior Minister about the work they are doing with Albania.

“We’ve spoken to the EU Commissioner about their approach to returns. So we will look at any approach that is workable.

“That is the work other European countries are doing. That is the work we’re doing as well. What we won’t do is just look at gimmicks.”

The Rwanda flights were grounded by successive legal challenges.

After the Supreme Court ruled that the scheme was unlawful in November 2023, Rishi Sunak’s Government introduced emergency legislation to make clear in UK law that Rwanda is a safe country.

The Safety of Rwanda Bill – which was finally approved after intense political wrangling – ordered courts to ignore key sections of the Human Rights Act.

It also compelled the courts to disregard other British laws or international rules – such as the international Refugee Convention – which would block deportations to Rwanda.

The UK government also signed a new migration treaty with Rwanda, which former Home Secretary James Cleverly said guarantees that anyone sent there would not risk being returned to their home country.

Other European nations were watching how the scheme worked, with the intention of then replicating them, sources have told the Daily Express.

Sir Keir, speaking at an Organised Immigration Crime Summit, revealed more than 24,000 migrants have been deported since Labour came to office.

Amid mounting concern over the Government’s plan to end the Channel crisis, the Prime Minister said he was introducing “tough” measures to deter crossings.

He pointed to a 21% increase in enforced returns and a 16% increase in foreign national offenders being removed from the UK since July 5.

Sir Keir said: “Immigration crime funds the vile people-smuggling gangs that trade in human misery, breach our borders and threaten Britain’s economic security. This government is taking back control, doing the hard graft needed to deliver results, working with our international allies to smash these gangs and secure our borders.

“We’ve already removed more than 24,000 people with no right to be here and we’re finally shutting down exploitative illegal working, dismantling criminal networks, while forcing people-smuggling gangs out of business.

“For too long, the UK was a soft touch. That ends now. No more gimmicks, no empty promises, just serious action for British security.”

More than 6,600 migrants have crossed the Channel this year, up 31% on last year. He added: “Illegal migration is a massive driver of global insecurity. It undermines our ability to control who comes here and that makes people angry. It makes me angry, frankly.

“Because it is unfair on ordinary working people who pay the price, from the cost of hotels, to our public services struggling under the strain.”

Sir Keir said: “We inherited this total fragmentation between our policing, our Border Force and our intelligence agencies.

“A fragmentation that made it crystal clear, when I looked at it, that there were gaps in our defence, an open invitation at our borders for the people smugglers to crack on. To be honest, it should have been fixed years ago.”

He said the Government’s Border Security Command would help address those gaps.

The PM also said there is “little that strikes working people as more unfair than watching illegal migration drive down their wages, their terms and their conditions through illegal work in their community.”

Taking aim at the Tories once again, he blasted: “Whilst the last Government were busy with their Rwanda gimmick, they left the door wide open for illegal working, especially in short term or zero hours, roles like construction, beauty salons and courier services.

“Whilst, of course, most companies do the responsible thing and carry out Right to Work checks, too many dodgy firms have been exploiting a loophole to skip this process, hiring illegal workers, undercutting honest businesses, driving down the wages of ordinary working people.

“And all of this, of course, fuelling that poisonous narrative of the gangs who promised a dream of a better life to vulnerable people, yet deliver a nightmare of squalid conditions and appalling exploitation.”