The UK’s long-awaited migrant returns agreement with France is set to be implemented within days, as the government faces mounting pressure to curb illegal Channel crossings.
Under the new “one-in, one-out” deal, announced last month by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, every small boat migrant returned to France will be matched by an asylum seeker being granted legal entry into the UK from France. Sir Keir hailed the deal as a “breakthrough moment” aimed at dismantling the business model of people-smuggling gangs.
On Monday, the treaty was formally ratified, giving UK authorities the power to detain small boat arrivals immediately and return them to France. The Home Office expects the first returns to happen within days. The European Commission and key EU member states, including Germany, have also approved the deal, easing concerns over potential EU opposition.
Under this pilot scheme, migrants whose asylum claims are deemed inadmissible will face immediate removal. Immigration Enforcement has already allocated space in removal centres, while Border Force teams are prepared to identify and process those targeted for return.
Learning from the legal setbacks of the abandoned Rwanda scheme, the Home Office said it is ready to “robustly defend” the agreement against any legal challenges during the trial phase.
The pilot will run until June 2026, with both governments agreeing to monitor its effectiveness before deciding on its long-term future. Migrants in France seeking legal entry into the UK must submit an online Expression of Interest, undergo strict identity verification, and pass comprehensive security and eligibility checks. However, anyone who has attempted a Channel crossing and been returned will be permanently barred from applying through this legal route.
Additionally, those who attempt to re-enter the UK after being sent back will face priority removal.
Sir Keir Starmer described the treaty as a product of “months of serious diplomacy”, claiming it delivers tangible results where past governments have failed. “The era of gimmicks and broken promises is over. We will restore order to our borders with competence and resolve,” he said.
The Home Secretary echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for a controlled and legal migration system. The government also announced a £100 million investment to support enforcement measures, including 300 additional National Crime Agency officers and advanced technology to disrupt smuggling operations.
Curbing small boat crossings remains a central pledge of Labour’s migration policy. However, with crossings at record highs and the asylum backlog exceeding 75,000 cases, ministers are under increasing pressure to take more aggressive action, especially amid rising support for Reform UK in recent polls.
Last week, migrant arrivals via small boats surpassed 25,000 – the earliest point in the year this milestone has been reached since records began in 2018.
Protests have also intensified against the use of hotels to accommodate asylum seekers, with several arrests made during demonstrations in London’s Canary Wharf over the weekend.
In addition to the returns deal, the government has unveiled new measures under the upcoming Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill. These include a five-year prison sentence for those promoting illegal crossings or selling fake passports on social media.
Dame Angela Eagle told Sky News that ministers are focused on reducing the asylum backlog, noting that 35,000 people who had no right to remain have been removed from the UK within a year.
Meanwhile, Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick warned that public frustration is boiling over. “This issue transcends party politics. It’s damaging communities and destroying lives. We have to fix it,” he said, voicing sympathy for protestors. Photo by ukhomeoffice, Wikimedia commons.
