Changes to global refugee rules could be needed to tackle illegal migration, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said, as he warned of the threat of migrants to “overwhelm” European countries.

At a gathering of Italian conservatives and right-wingers in Rome, Sunak offered a stark warning about illegal migration and the need for radical solutions to tackle the issue.

Sunak said “enemies” want to use migration as a “weapon”, “deliberately driving people to our shores to try to destabilise our society”.

“If we do not tackle this problem, the numbers will only grow. It will overwhelm our countries and our capacity to help those who actually need our help the most.