Hello to you, Home Secretary. Thanks for joining us this morning. Tell us about Martin Hewitt's new job. Good morning, Kay.

This is part of our major overhaul and upgrade of law enforcement operations against the criminal smuggler gangs who are undermining our border security and putting lives at risk with more lives lost again, tragically this weekend. Martin Hewitt, who was a former police chief and former army officer, has huge experience around law enforcement, he will lead the new border security command, which is bringing together the border force, the National Crime Agency, police forces, intelligence and security agencies, but also, crucially, working with European law enforcement as well in order to go after the criminal gangs and to make sure that they pay the price. They are getting away with this at the moment. It's deeply damaging, and that's why we're going to be strengthening this law enforcement action.

To that end, the Prime Minister is in Rome today for talks with the Italian Prime Minister. What interest should a socialist UK government have in the migrant policies of a hard-right European government?

Well, we've always worked with other democratically elected countries, including those led by political parties that we're not aligned with. The last labor government did that, other governments have done that. That's just always been the case. It's part of making sure that we are pursuing Britain's interests working internationally with other governments. The areas that I think are important in terms of working with Italy are particularly around tackling organized immigration crime, the smuggler and the trafficking gangs. Italy has been doing this. They have made some significant progress on doing this. Also on the partnership working that they've been doing with other countries, working upstream to prevent dangerous journeys in the first place. There's been a 60% A 100% reduction in boat crossings across the Mediterranean to Italy. That means that fewer lives being put at risk in the Mediterranean, it also means addressing some of these border security issues. We do need to work with other countries on this.

Okay. Why is Albania potentially acceptable for processing of migrants, but Rwanda isn't? The infrastructure is already set up. We've already spent a fortune on sending people to Rwanda.

The Italian arrangement with Albania is not yet up and running, and we will be interesting to see how that develops. We've always said we would look at what works. It is a very different program from the Rwanda one. The Rwanda scheme, the partnership was run for two and a half years by the Conservatives. They spent £700 million on sending four volunteers to Rwanda. That is not a workable program. The arrangement that Italy has with Albania is a very different one. It's effectively around having a fast track for those who have arrived from predominantly safe countries, and is also a scheme that is monitored by the UNHCR as well to make sure that proper standards are in place. We will see how it develops. We've always said we will look and see what works in any country. But the other thing that we are also doing is wanting to make sure that we've got fast track arrangements in place. We are developing those to make sure that we can have swifter returns for people to their home countries if they have no right to be in the UK, if they have not fled persecution or conflict, because really the rules need to be respected and enforced.

We are also increasing returns this summer.

Okay, so you are looking at Albania then?

We'll see what the Italy-Albania arrangement, how that develops. But our priority actually at the moment, what we're looking at is the development on organized immigration crime, the smuggler and the trafficking gangs. The work we want to do with Italy, specifically, is around setting up new Europol task forces, upgrading Europol works.

Sorry. I'm asking you about Albania. Are you considering Albania or not?

It's not in place at the moment. So no, as we've always said, we will look at anything that works. But no, that's not the scheme that we're looking at at the moment. What we're looking at at the moment is developing new Europol task forces. At the moment.

Let me ask you about the story that's dominating a lot of the papers today, and that is that Prime Minister may have broken parliamentary rules in failing to declare clothes bought for his wife. Why didn't he do it?

I don't know the details of the donations or the declarations, but my understanding is that the Prime Minister's office sought advice about the donations, and as a result, they twice, and as a result of some further advice, have made this further declaration now. It's right, obviously, that they should do so because there are arrangements around making sure that declarations are made.

Yeah, access all areas Passes for glasses, clothes for the misses, it doesn't pass a sniff test, does it?

I think that the Prime Minister's office have been clear that they thought that the rules had been complied with. They've now made this further declaration as a result of further advice. They'd sought advice a couple of times. I think there have been proper arrangements in place. But there's a reason we have these rules and that MPs do ensure that we follow those and make sure that declarations are made. Sometimes there are errors that are made. Sometimes that does happen for lots of different MPs, in which case they always need to be corrected as swiftly as possible.

Yeah, but my point is this, that Lord Wahid Ali, who gave a significant amount of to the Prime Minister and also to his wife for glasses, clothes, etc. Find himself within access all areas to number 10 Dining Street. That can't be right.

Well, Lord Ali is a long-standing Labor peer. He's been involved in many different issues and campaigns over very many years. He was one of the leading people involved in the introduction of the Equal Marriage legislation. Some years ago, he's been involved in very many different things, and he did a lot of work for the Labor Party in the run up to the election, and I understand he worked on some of the transition arrangements as well, and he no longer has a pass because that work is now completed. That has also all been done.

David Lammey, Foreign Secretary, has said that it's okay for Lady Starmer to get her clothes in this way because she doesn't get her outfits funded by the taxpayer. Do you think the taxpayer should pay for Lady Starmer's clothes?

No, of course not. That's not the way that we do things in this country. I think this is a political donation, and I don't know the details of the donation, but donations are always declared in the proper way.

Yeah, so the foreign secretary misspoke when he said that.

Well, he would think he was talking about arrangements in the US. I don't think there's any difference.

He was suggesting that it should be considered for the UK taxpayer to potentially pay for her clothing, as is similarly done in the US.

Well, no. We're a very different country to the US, and I think probably that's something that we all recognize, huge differences between different countries and the arrangements that we have. I think it's probably a very good thing. I think sometimes that our politics is very different from the US politics, too.

Why is the UK government, who often reminds us it, standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, delaying given permission for stormshadow missiles to be used to target missile sites in Russia?

Well, the UK, as you know, has been a strong supporter of Ukraine from the very beginning, from the first point of the Putin's invasion, and we have stood firmly with Ukraine at every step of the way. We have supplied Ukraine with support, including defense support and equipment, and making sure that we can stand with them. That will continue to be the case. Of course, there are always ongoing operational decisions about different support, different equipment that can be provided for Ukraine. I'm sure all of that will continue. But these are always complex operational decisions and matters that the defense secretary, the Prime Minister, will keep under continual discussion with our allies, and of course, with Ukraine itself.

I know your husband is a football supporter. I can't remember if you are or not. What do you think about your way for warning England that we could be banned from our own euros in 2028?

Do you know what? I am not going to pretend to be a football supporter. Ed does get cross with me about this. Very often, we have Casper Tiger's rugby league. They've not had a great season this year, but rugby league is what I go to see frequently. I am not going to to keep up with the football debate. Sorry, Kay.

Okay. Final thought on what's been reported to be a second assassination attempt on President Trump.

This is obviously very serious. It's appalling to see the political violence taking place. Violence should have no place in any political campaign. Clearly, I think we're all glad that the former President is safe and that this attempt, whatever it was that happened, was not successful. But it is really disturbing to see these attempts at this serious political violence taking place in any campaign, in any election, and certainly what we've seen happening.

Okay. I know you said you're not a football fan, but just all you need to know about the football at the weekend is that Arsenal beats Spurs at Spurs. Made our house very happy. Good to see you.

Thanks very much. It makes the Prime Minister quite happy, too.

You make a good point. Thanks very much. Thank you.