Hello, im lewis vaughanjones. Youre watching the context on bbc news. One person died and houses destroyed as severe storms and tornadoes sweep through the us. The impact has been felt from alabama and tennessee in the south stretching far to the north. Aerial footage shows the power of the winds, debris strewn across roads and properties flattened. Migration and Border Security is going to be a key issue at the next uk election. And today labour laid out part of its policy. Sir keir starmer says a Labour Government would scrap the Tories Rwanda Policy Straightaway but would not bring back migrants who may have already been deported there. But the Labour Leader refused to commit to stopping the boats, saying he would not put � false numbers� on his plans as he laid out his proposals. As the first step in this plan, a new manifesto commitment. We will set up a new command with new powers, new resources and a new way of doing things Border Security command. Now this is about leveraging the power and potential of dynamic government based on a Counter Terrorism approach, which we know works. An end to the fragmentation between policing, the border force and our intelligence agencies. A collecting of the standards, so the Border Protection becomes an elite force, not a cinderella service. Well, new figures from the home office show more than gfx 9,000 people have crossed the channel in small boats this year. Thats a rise of 35 on the same period last year. Well a little earlier on the programme, the home secretary, jams cleverly, responded to keir starmer� s plans and inststed that the deterrent of rwanda was having an impact on numbers attempting to get to britain. What we have found is that the actions we have taken drove down small Boat Crossings last year, drove down the number of people crossing by a third. The people smugglers have been changing their tactics. Theyve been forcing more and more people onto the boats. Sadly, thats why were seeing people losing their lives in the channel. Were determined to bring those numbers down. The numbers are going up. Let me finish. What keir starmer announced today is a weakening of what weve already got in place, which will inevitably mean the numbers will go up even further, and because he has taken rwanda off the table, there is literally nowhere to return people to if they come from countries where either the regime or for whatever reason we dont have a Return Agreement. So where will he return people from who arrived from afghanistan . Where will he return them to if they arrive from iran or syria . Hes inevitably going to have to have in amnesty because he cannot return them to those countries. He would have tens of millions of pounds extra, 70 million, is it . No, he wouldnt. He wouldnt because the accommodation bill. So, the money spent would be completely wasted then . The facts are we have reports from migrants saying they are being deterred because of rwanda. The numbers are still going up. It doesnt matter a great deal what people say if the numbers are still going up. They will go up significantly faster and further under this halfhearted, poorly thought through labour plan. The point im making about rwanda is if people arrive here from countries where we dont have a Return Agreement or where we cant return them to, he will inevitably have to grant in amnesty because the safe third country, rwanda, he wouldve taken off the table. He was asked about the he dodged the question. Unless he is going to have a Return Agreement with the taliban or Return Agreement with asad or a Return Agreement the mullahs of tehran. Hes going to have to grant amnesty. And the point that weve made is this halfhearted, poorly thought through, pale imitation of what is already in place but without the deterrent of rwanda will inevitably see numbers go up. His proposals will make the uk the asylum capital of the world. Lets return to our panel annabel denham, comment editor at the telegraph and the american journalist, brian stelter. Annabelle, journalist, brian stelter. What did you make a keir starmer annabelle, what did you make a keir starmer is a Labours Pitch to scrap the rwanda plan if they win the government and come up with their alternative . I government and come up with their alternative . Alternative . I think the tories have a Oint Alternative . I think the tories have a point and alternative . I think the tories have a point and whether alternative . I think the tories have a point and whether they alternative . I think the tories have a point and whether they say alternative . I think the tories have a point and whether they say its i a point and whether they say its underwhelming and in parts it simply rebranding existing measures that we have in place, the centrepiece keir starmer is new Border Security command which will be tasked with cracking down on the people smugglers the government created the small boats operational command, which was a new within border force was that they were going to take on 730 new recruits or they would work closely with the military to try to stop the crossings. It is much as the labour party trying to put meat on the bones of their plan to stop the boats im not sure this is been altogether satisfactory. Keir starmer of course has a point when he accuses the of pushing through a gimmick, a costly gimmick with the rwanda plan. Im not sure anybody believes that it will be a successful deterrent there was polling a couple of months ago that found that less 11 of the British Population thought it would achieve its objectives. Less than i . Perhaps keeping the scheme in place after labour is installed in power to see if it might make some difference. The fundamental issue is that there are many people who are going to want to come to the uk, many of whom are fleeing war torn countries and persecution and we have a long history of welcoming them. We want to maintain that whilst ensuring it doesnt descend in the kind of lawlessness were seeing on the channel. It doesnt mean that people are risking their lives and dying by making the crossing. 0n those issues, i dont feel either the tories of the liberal dues labour party have a satisfactory solution. Liberal dues labour party have a satisfactory solution. Lets head to the us. Satisfactory solution. Lets head to the us these satisfactory solution. Lets head to the us. These specific satisfactory solution. Lets head to i the us. These specific circumstances are different but the issue the same for the head of the election, immigration, huge. For the head of the election, immigration, huge. For the head of the election, immiuration, hue. , � ~ immigration, huge. Yes, im thinking about the amount immigration, huge. Yes, im thinking about the amount of immigration, huge. Yes, im thinking about the amount of money immigration, huge. Yes, im thinking about the amount of money already l about the amount of money already spent about the amount of money already spent by about the amount of money already spent by the British Government trying spent by the British Government trying to spent by the British Government trying to prepare infrastructure in rwanda, trying to prepare infrastructure in rwanda, raising the numberto trying to prepare infrastructure in rwanda, raising the number to but in us dollars rwanda, raising the number to but in us dollars is rwanda, raising the number to but in us dollars is a similarity there in the united us dollars is a similarity there in the United States to the incredible vast sums the United States to the incredible vast sums of money that are spent on border vast sums of money that are spent on Border Control on the Southern HordehBorder Control on the southern border. Americans look at all that money border. Americans look at all that money being spent and they wonder, what are money being spent and they wonder, what are they getting for that investment. What is the actual payoff investment. What is the actual payoff when it does seem as if a Migration Payoff when it does seem as if a migration as only slowed or stalled but not migration as only slowed or stalled but not stopped. Donald trump, every day this but not stopped. Donald trump, every day this is but not stopped. Donald trump, every day this is the top topic in the united day this is the top topic in the United States, trump benefits. And many United States, trump benefits. And many days United States, trump benefits. And many days it is a top topic. Although many days it is a top topic. Although his limited in his ability to exploit although his limited in his ability to exploit it because hes busy in new york to exploit it because hes busy in new york at that hush money trial. Lets new york at that hush money trial. Lets assume that in a few weeks when lets assume that in a few weeks when that lets assume that in a few weeks when that trial is over he will be back when that trial is over he will be back at when that trial is over he will be back at it when that trial is over he will be back at it every day, focusing on immigration as a top issue. As we know, immigration as a top issue. As we know. His immigration as a top issue. As we know, his party has been unwilling to actually know, his party has been unwilling to actually take policy steps this year because he wants to get back in office year because he wants to get back in Office First Year because he wants to get back in office first before he takes any steps office first before he takes any steps to office first before he takes any steps to stem migration. Annabelle, can i come steps to stem migration. Annabelle, can i come back steps to stem migration. Annabelle, can i come back to steps to stem migration. Annabelle, can i come back to you . Steps to stem migration. Annabelle, can i come back to you . At steps to stem migration. Annabelle, can i come back to you . At the steps to stem migration. Annabelle, can i come back to you . At the end | can i come back to you . At the end of this week, i like to get your thoughts on Natalie Elphicke defecting to the labour party over Theissue Defecting to the labour party over the issue over small boats specifically. We had a couple of days to reflect what up what is your assessment on the move itself and any impact it may have . Im assessment on the move itself and any impact it may have . Assessment on the move itself and any impact it may have . Im not sure that 48 hours any impact it may have . Im not sure that 48 hours or any impact it may have . Im not sure that 48 hours or so any impact it may have . Im not sure that 48 hours or so that any impact it may have . Im not sure that 48 hours or so that made any impact it may have . Im not sure that 48 hours or so that made her. That 48 hours or so that made her defection any less shocking. It was completely out of the blue. Partly because she is been highly critical of the label party failing to come up of the label party failing to come up with an adequate plan to stop the boats. Where constituents are profoundly impacted by the effects of incoming Asylum Seekers crossing the channel. She is considered to be to the far right in these areas as well, which did lead to some backlash for keir starmer. You can see the appeal of welcoming another conservative mp to the labour bunches, the second in two weeks after dan falter defected. It did look like a Cynic Go Move from the leader of the opposition. It did look like political opportunism. However, on net it will have been beneficial to keir starmer. I think the optics of rishi sunak seeing that majority, that conservative majority that was so huge in 2019 being shaved down even further will being shaved down even further will be more beneficial than some of the negative effects of Natalie Elphicke personal position on particular political issues. Personal position on particular political issues. A series of severe storms and tornadoes have swept through various midwestern states over the past week. The impact was felt from alabama in the south stretching far to the north. This was door bell footage from kalamazoo in michigan. The homeowner who posted the video on social media sheltered in the basement with his family while the storm passed. While they took cover, trees at the front of their house toppled over one after another. Aerial footage showed destroyed houses, downed power lines and trees and debris strewn across roadways. These pictures are from alabama, but damage from tornadoes was reported in tennesse and also across 0klahoma, where one person was reported to have died. Brian, extraordinary images. Of course the us use to extreme weather like this. But it doesnt make those pictures any less shocking. Right now it normally pictures any less shocking. Right now it normally april pictures any less shocking. Right now it normally april and pictures any less shocking. Right now it normally april and may of the busiest now it normally april and may of the busiest years for Tornado Activity in the busiest years for Tornado Activity in the us busiest years for Tornado Activity in the us was up this year especially has been extraordinary. The numbers are higherthan especially has been extraordinary. The numbers are higher than usual, even the numbers are higher than usual, even though were in that so called busy season. If i was in a wax philosophical i would talk about america philosophical i would talk about America In The Wild West is a place where America In The Wild West is a place where you America In The Wild West is a place where you go out, try to strike it rich. Where you go out, try to strike it rich. Try where you go out, try to strike it rich. Try to where you go out, try to strike it rich, try to build out your land but you never rich, try to build out your land but you never know what might happen. You might you never know what might happen. You might build it up and you might lose it you might build it up and you might lose itjustice suddenly. Theres a lon lose itjustice suddenly. Theres a long history of those stories in america long history of those stories in america. You can link that to tornadoes america. You can link that to tornadoes in idea that you never know tornadoes in idea that you never know its tornadoes in idea that you never know its can happen next. That storytelling. The reality is this is about storytelling. The reality is this is about Mother Nature and the un break ability about Mother Nature and the un break ability of about Mother Nature and the un break ability of Mother Nature. As we look at these ability of Mother Nature. As we look at these images im hopeful that were at these images im hopeful that were all at these images im hopeful that were all going to get a reward from mother were all going to get a reward from Mother Nature later tonight. These auroras. Mother nature later tonight. These auroras, were expecting that in the united auroras, were expecting that in the United States as well as beyond the parts of United States as well as beyond the parts of the uk in the world. Mother nature parts of the uk in the world. Mother nature takes away but also supposed gears nature takes away but also supposed gears for nature takes away but also supposed gears for the house after philosophical . Gears for the house after philosophical . Thats a good philos0phical philosophical . Thats a good Philosophical Bent philosophical . Thats a good Philosophical Bent for philosophical . Thats a good Philosophical Bent for a philosophical . Thats a good l Philosophical Bent for a friday night. Nothing wrong with that. On the weather rather than chronic sunshine last couple of days and cheered the mood for quite a lot of people. People will be out trying to spot the auroras. Spot the auroras. They definitely will. I spot the auroras. They definitely will i wont spot the auroras. They definitely will. I wont be spot the auroras. They definitely will. I wont be able spot the auroras. They definitely will. I wont be able to spot the auroras. They definitely will. I wont be able to offer will. I wont be able to offer philosophical musings of the weather. Britts, for all we complain about the weather and we do that a lot it is obviously very mild in comparison. It felt like a very long Autumn Winter and spring. We have finally had some sunshine over the last few days. People im sure our feeling that their moods are being buoyed by beer gardens filling up for that is only it would last longer than it is forecast to. Gettin longer than it is forecast to. Getting into longer than it is forecast to. Getting into the longer than it is forecast to. Getting into the weekend. We have a weekend of sun for most of the country. More of that at the end of the program. Around the world and across the uk. This is b