UK should lead Europe’s people-smuggling investigations, Starmer says

Migrants onboard a smuggler's inflatable dinghy in an attempt to cross the Channel from Bleriot beach in Sangatte, near Calais, northern France in October. Photograph: Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP/Getty Images

The UK should take charge of future Europe-wide investigations into people-smuggling gangs as it seeks a new security deal with EU countries, Keir Starmer said on Monday.

The prime minister has also indicated that EU leaders have shown an interest in giving the UK access to a key intelligence database used to identify people seeking asylum.