The Guardian view on Starmer, Meloni and migration: Labour must retain its moral clarity | Editorial

The ruthless policies of Italy’s radical-right prime minister should not be seen as a role model for Keir Starmer’s government

During his first prime ministerial visit to Rome on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer repeatedly stressed the “upstream” work undertaken by his host, Giorgia Meloni, which had reduced levels of irregular migration across the Mediterranean. “I want to understand how that came about,” said the prime minister, who visited a border intelligence centre in the capital before having lunch with his radical-right Italian counterpart.

Sir Keir’s technocratic tone was deliberate. On migration, as on other matters, he likes to present himself as a sleeves rolled up, practical politician who is concerned only with what works. At a joint press conference during which the war in Ukraine was also discussed, he described this approach as one of “British pragmatism”. But a Labour government committed to a humane migration policy needs a proper moral compass to guide its thinking. It will not find evidence of that in Ms Meloni’s Rome.