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Albanian PM Edi Rama hits out at UK government for ‘fuelling xenophobia’ towards migrants

In an exclusive interview with Newsnight, Albanian PM Edi Rama described the UK government’s reaction to Albanian migrants arriving as ‘scapegoating’ and ‘fuelling xenophobia’.

He said despite Home Secretary Suella Braverman's ‘crazy’ remarks about the UK being invaded by migrants, "It's not about one person. It's about the climate that has been created, and it's about finding scapegoats and blaming others”.

He told Victoria Derbyshire: “It's not about Albanians or aliens or gangsters, but it's about failed policies on borders and on crime.”

Last week, MPs were told 12,000 Albanians had arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel so far this year, compared to 50 in 2020.

The Home Office said it was working closely with Albania to tackle illegal migration.

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5 minutes