British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is embarking on a diplomatic mission to Italy to discuss migration strategies with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, particularly focusing on Meloni's successful reduction of irregular boat crossings by nearly two-thirds. Starmer aims to reset UK-European relations and is under pressure to distance his government from Meloni's hard-right immigration policies, especially as NGOs criticize any potential adoption of Italy's plans for processing asylum seekers in third countries like Albania. Despite scrapping the controversial Rwanda deportation scheme, Starmer is considering similar offshore processing arrangements. Recent tragedies in the English Channel, where several migrants have died attempting the crossing, underscore the urgency of tackling people smuggling networks, a commitment Starmer emphasizes by appointing a new Border Security Commander to lead international efforts against these gangs. The meeting with Meloni is also part of Starmer's broader strategy to enhance trade and security cooperation with European partners post-Brexit. As Starmer prepares for the talks, he is keen on learning from Italy's approach while facing criticism for potentially aligning with a government labeled as 'neo-fascist' by some critics.