Rishi channels Maggie in immigration pledge

PM flies into Italy to warn that whole of Europe risks being 'overwhelmed' by the crisis

- David Williamson, Jonathan Walker

RISHI Sunak has invoked the spirit of Margaret Thatcher, vowing to stop illegal migration that threatens to "overwhelm" Europe.

The Prime Minister said that Britain needs the Iron Lady's resolve to stop enemies using "migration as a weapon" by deliberately driving people to our shores to "destabilise" society.

In a major speech in Rome yesterday, he said he is ready to push for an overhaul of international asylum rules if that is what it takes to break the business model of people-smuggling gangs.

He warned that if illegal migration is not tackled it will shake people's faith in "our very systems of government".

At the annual gathering of Brothers of Italy, the country's largest political party, he referred to Mrs.

Thatcher three times as he strived to convince Rightwing Conservatives at home that he is not weak on migration.

And after talks with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who leads the Brothers of Italy, Britain and Italy will now jointly finance a scheme to return migrants in Tunisia to their home countries.

Number 10 said that after the talks Mr Sunak and Ms Meloni had agreed to co-fund a project that would see the two countries "promote and assist the voluntary return" of migrants currently stuck in Tunisia. Many migrants from African states cross from Tunisia to Europe.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: "They also agreed to deepen UK-Italy co-operation on security and economic development across North Africa." Mr Sunak wants his party to get behind emergency legislation to ensure the Government will not be stopped from sending asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing.

Mr Sunak had told his Italian audience: "Margaret Thatcher never shied away from the hard choices and the big issues.