Today is one of those rare occasions in British politics – a day when Rishi Sunak’s government has a bit of good news. Figures released this morning show the UK economy grew by 0.6 per cent in the first three months of the year, thanks to stronger than expected growth in March. So it is no surprise then that Labour want to take control of the news agenda by turning attention elsewhere.

Sir Keir Starmer is in Dover this morning, proudly unveiling his latest Tory defector. Natalie Elphicke is intended to be Starmer’s ‘small boats bodyguard’ in the upcoming election, using her reputation as a migration hawk to deflect Tory attacks. Elphicke introduced her new leader by declaring that ‘nowhere is Rishi Sunak’s lack of delivery clearer than on the issue of small boats – they are failing to keep our borders safe and secure.’ With Channel crossings currently on course to overtake the record year of 2022, it would be difficult to argue with her assessment.

But in his own speech, Starmer articulated an approach that was strikingly similar to what the government is already doing. The Labour leader’s plan involves more staff, the use of the military, cooperating with the French and greater collaboration across Whitehall. Yet the Home Office is already engaged in all of these initiatives. His much-touted ‘Small Boats Command’ seems to be essentially identical to the existing ‘Small Boats Operational Command’, which launched last year after Sunak announced plans for it in 2022. Plans to use ‘anti-terror’ legislation against the gangs seem somewhat redundant when arrests for facilitating illegal arrest are being made already.

Starmer said he will pay for enhanced resources for these initiatives by scrapping the £600 million Rwanda plan. But while rejecting the specific Kigali scheme, he is open to considering processing asylum seekers overseas – just like the Tories are trying to do. His plan places much of his faith for tackling the migration crisis in improved relations with Britain’s European partners. Yet there is little appetite on the continent for taking in more migrants, with 110,000 arrivals on the Italian island of Lampedusa alone last year.

The election of a Labour government might be welcomed in various chancellories but it will not change the fundamentals overnight. In any case, Sunak’s government is already engaging in talks with its European counterparts – some of whom are discussing replicating the Rwanda scheme that Starmer wants to scrap.

On migration then, Labour appears to be turning both literally and figuratively to the Tories. The danger is that he will enjoy a similar level of success in stopping the boats that Rishi Sunak has had.