Rishi Sunak said he and Austria’s leader are “deepening co-operation” on illegal migration as they agreed schemes like the Rwanda plan are needed to tackle the issue in Europe.
The prime minister met Chancellor Karl Nehammer in Vienna on Tuesday, following an announcement that the UK government will give an extra £25m to the National Crime Agency to help tackle people smuggling gangs.
Following a “warm meeting” with Mr Nehammer, Mr Sunak said the pair “see eye-to-eye on many of the big challenges before us”, including Ukraine and the Middle East.
He said they discussed illegal migration, which “has become truly one of the defining issues of our time”.
The prime minister congratulated his Austrian counterpart on his leadership on illegal migration “because he’s been right on this issue for a long time, and has led the charge in Europe”.
They committed to “deepening our cooperation to end this vile trade” and said there is a need to “think creatively… like the UK’s pioneering Rwanda scheme”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
2:05
Record number of boats arrive in UK
The pair met after 15 EU countries, including Austria, signed a letter calling on the European Commission to tighten migration policy and to look at third country schemes.
Advertisement
“It’s increasingly clear that many other countries now agree that that is the approach that is required – bold, novel, looking at safe country partnerships,” Mr Sunak said.
Mr Nehammer said having safe asylum proceedings in safe third countries could “save human lives” by eradicating smuggling routes, and it is “something we need to put on the EU’s agenda as well”.
The number of people who have crossed the Channel in small boats to the UK this year has reached nearly 10,000.
Follow Sky News on WhatsApp
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
The government has now passed its legislation to deport asylum seekers to the African nation, but flights are not expected to start taking off until early July – and more legal challenges could also be launched.
Labour has branded the scheme an “expensive gimmick” and promised to scrap it if the party wins the next general election.
However, Home Secretary James Cleverly said the government was still “determined to operationalise Rwanda as part of the measures to protect our borders”.
Last year, the UK and Austria signed a “migration and security agreement” to work more closely on the issue, with the country keen to create its own third country scheme to address rising crossings in the Mediterranean.
However, unlike the UK’s Rwanda scheme, asylum seekers would be allowed to return to Austria if their applications were successful.
Thousands of farmers from across the UK are expected to gather outside Downing Street today – in the biggest protest yet against the government’s changes to inheritance tax rules.
The reforms, announced in last month’s budget, will mean farms worth over £1m will be subject to 20% inheritance tax from April 2026.
Farmers say that will lead to land being sold to pay the tax bill, impact food security and the future of British farming.
The Government insists it is “committed” to the farming industry but has had to make “difficult decisions”.
Farmers from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England will arrive in London to hear speeches from agricultural leaders.
Sky News understands TV presenter and farm owner Jeremy Clarkson, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch and Lib Dem leader Ed Davey will also address crowds.
Protestors will then march around Parliament Square.
More on Farming
Related Topics:
‘It’s really worrying’
“It’s unfortunate, as Labour had originally said they would support farmers,” said fourth-generation farmer Will Weaver, who is attending today’s rally.
Advertisement
His 500-acre cow and sheep farm in South Gloucestershire has been in his family since 1939.
“We’ve probably buried our head in the sand a little bit. I think, back of a fag-packet rough estimates, tax is going to be north of half a million [pounds].”
The government is keen to stress that farmers will get a decade to pay the bill – but that comes as little comfort to Will: “It’s more than our profit in any year that we’ve had in the last 10 years. Dad’s saying we’ll have to sell something. I don’t know if we’ll be able to raise that sort of money through a mortgage. It’s really worrying.”
The Treasury says only the wealthiest estates, around 500 of them, will have to pay under the new rules – claiming 72% of farms won’t be impacted.
But farmers say that calculation is incorrect – citing that DEFRA’s own figures show 66% of farms are valued at over £1m and that the government has undervalued many estates.
At the same time as the rally, the NFU is addressing 1,800 of its members in Westminster before they lobby MPs.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
2:28
The president of the National Farmers’ Union says farmers are feeling
‘Understanding has been betrayed’
Max Sealy represents the NFU Dairy Board in the South of England.
“We have a detailed job to do to explain why this is wrong not just for farming, not just for the countryside and not just for our families, but for the economy in general,” he said.
“This is a bad tax – it’s been badly implemented because it will affect growth productivity in the country.”
He told Sky News Labour made promises to farmers ahead of the election.
“Both Steve Reed and Keir Starmer came to our conference two years ago and told us farming wasn’t a business like any others and that he understood the long-term nature of farming – that understanding has been betrayed,” he said.
In a joint statement, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed said: “Farmers are the backbone of Britain, and we recognise the strength of feeling expressed by farming and rural communities in recent weeks. We are steadfast in our commitment to Britain’s farming industry because food security is national security.
“It’s why we are investing £5bn into farming over the next two years – the largest amount ever directed towards sustainable food production, rural economic growth and nature’s recovery in our country’s history.
“But with public services crumbling and a £22bn fiscal hole that this Government inherited, we have taken difficult decisions.
“The reforms to Agricultural Property Relief ensure that wealthier estates and the most valuable farms pay their fair share to invest in our schools and health services that farmers and families in rural communities rely on.”
A Met Police spokesperson said it was “well prepared” for the protest and would have officers deployed to ensure it passes off “safely, lawfully and in a way that prevents serious disruption”.