UK PM hosting international summit on illegal migration and claims Labour has achieved the highest return rate for eight years

Downing Street has sent out more details of the enforced returns numbers quoted by Keir Starmer in his speech to the Organised Immigration Crime summit. (See 9.26am.)

It says the more than 24,000 migrants made to leave the country since July 2024 meant the government has achieved the highest rate of returns in eight years. It says:

The continued rise in removals includes a 21% increase in enforced returns and a 16% increase in foreign national offenders being removed from the UK since July 5, including the 4 biggest returns charter flights in the UK’s history, with a total of more than 850 people on board.

The massive surge in removals followed the government’s immediate action to redeploy staff across the Home Office to work on policies that deliver results …