Keir Starmer insists he does wants to 'stop the boats'

Sir Keir Starmer today insisted he does want to 'stop the boats' despite him having ordered his Labour MPs to vote against tough new asylum laws.

The Government last night saw its Illegal Migration Bill, aimed at ending the Channel migrant crisis, complete its final stages in the House of Commons.

This was despite Labour MPs voting against the legislation after they failed to pass a series of amendments to the Bill.

The Tories claimed Labour's opposition to the Bill showed Sir Keir's party had 'sided with criminal gangs' who conduct people trafficking operations.

A post from the Conservatives' Twitter account, sent soon after MPs voted on the Bill, added: 'The facts are clear, Labour do not want to stop the boats.'