Small boat blow as UK tries to get back intelligence access surrendered during Brexit
The UK has been pushing for access to European intelligence databases, which include asylum data and real-time information about criminal suspects, which officials say would be a game-changer
A desperate bid to get back access to crime and illegal migration databases surrendered during Brexit has been rejected, it is reported.
The Government wants to use the Schengen Information System (SIS) and the EU's fingerprinting system Eurodac again. Officials believe this would be a game-changer in identifying asylum seekers whose claims should be rejected.
It would also give UK police and intelligence services real-time alerts on criminal suspects. But EU negotiators have ruled out giving the UK access, The Times reports. Britain had access to the systems before Brexit, and Mr Starmer says improved intelligence sharing will be crucial in tackling illegal migration.
He has previously complained that Boris Johnson's botched deal affected the UK's ability to lead intelligence operations targeting traffickers. The fingerprint database will tell Home Office decision-makers whether a person has had an asylum application rejected in Europe - making it quicker to remove them.
Mr Starmer will meet fellow leaders from the continent next week at the European Political Community Summit in Albania, where he will make the case for better information sharing. A source told The Times: "This is something that we would see as mutually beneficial but so far there has been no movement. The EU's argument appears to be that it would set a precedent and that third parties can't have access to Schengen databases. But it is frustrating, as it makes co-operation in areas like illegal migration much harder."
The UK is understood to be seeking a "workaround" rather than full access to the SIS system. It had limited access before Brexit as it was not a member of the Schengen zone with free movement between borders.
Last year Mr Starmer complained that the UK's Brexit deal had hampered efforts to tackle people traffickers. He told The Mirror in November: "I do think when it comes to security, we can do better than the deal we've got and that's what we're pursuing. I don't think the deal we got was a particularly good one.
"I don't think we did as well as we should have done when we came to the question of cross border, crime and security, and that's why we want to improve on it."
And he went on: "I'll give you one example - when we were in the EU, we could lead on operations, and at the moment we can't. We're very good in the UK.
"We've got very good intelligence, we've got very good law enforcement. We should actually be really proud of what we're doing in the UK.
"But when UK leads something, in my experience, and I did this for five years, it works well. And I'm very keen to get the UK into a leadership position when it comes to the actual operations, particularly in relation to smuggling and putting people into small boats across the channel."
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'This is not a minor discrepancy - it reflects a sustained and deliberate disinvestment in the essential services that underpin our communities.' Hitting out at previous positions by the Scottish Government that it is not directly involved in pay talks, Ms Gens said: 'It is simply not correct to say that the Scottish Government has no control on local government pay when its redirection of funds away from local government has had a huge impact on the monies councils have to fund their biggest and most important resource, that being their staff. 'The consequences are severe. Vital services, from schools and care homes to street cleaning and public health, are facing unprecedented cuts. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Councils are being forced into impossible and morally compromising decisions: choosing between adult social care and children's services, refuse collection and licensing, business support and community wellbeing.' The union chief pointed to the Improvement Service's national benchmarking overview reports, adding that 'since 2010/11, Scotland has seen cuts of 39 per cent in street cleaning, 25 per cent in planning and 30 per cent in trading standards and environmental health'. She added: 'Cosla now forecasts a staggering £392m budget gap in 202*/26, rising to a cumulative £780m by 2026/27. This is not sustainable - it is a systemic failure. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The crisis is further exacerbated by the ongoing cost-of-living emergency, which is driving more people to rely on already-overstretched council services. The pressure on both services and the dedicated staff who deliver them is immense and unsustainable.' The Unison boss warned that 'local government workers have endured over 15 years of austerity, pay restraint, resulting in real-terms pay cuts of up to 20 per cent', in a trend she warned is 'adding insult to injury'. 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Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'There must not be another year of political games and brinksmanship from the SNP on council pay this year – the SNP must work with councils and trade unions to deliver a fair deal from the start.' Scottish Conservative shadow secretary for finance and local government, Craig Hoy. added: 'The unions are clearly not buying the SNP's desperate buck-passing on council workers' pay. Craig Hoy MSP. 'They know, as everyone else does, that the nationalist government has consistently underfunded councils, leaving essential services at breaking point. This is despite increases in its own funding settlement, and ministers imposing the highest income tax in the UK. 'John Swinney must finally accept responsibility for his government's reckless policies and offer local authorities a fair funding deal.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Although the Scottish Government has no formal role in local government pay negotiations, we recognise workers' desire for an agreement to be reached between Cosla – as the employer – and trade unions. 'The Scottish Government will continue to consider carefully how it can support progress towards a fair and affordable deal whilst respecting the independence of local government.'
