Migrants arriving in the UK via small boats will soon be returned to France under a new bilateral pilot scheme announced by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
The Labour leader confirmed details of the agreement during a press conference in north London on Wednesday, outlining the first steps of a “one in, one out” approach negotiated with French President Emmanuel Macron.
“This is not a silver bullet,” Starmer told reporters. “But with renewed determination, smarter tactics, and coordinated action, we can start to turn the tide.”
He revealed that the UK will, for the first time, detain and swiftly return individuals who cross the English Channel in small boats. Returns under the new deal are expected to begin within weeks.
Under the agreement, for every person sent back to France, a different individual with a verified connection to the UK will be allowed to enter legally through a controlled resettlement route.
“This will send a clear message,” he said. “Those trying to cross in small boats will do so in vain. The jobs and opportunities they were promised will not materialise under our intensified crackdown on illegal working.”
The new arrangement comes after two days of intensive talks between Starmer and Macron, aimed at finding a pragmatic solution to the growing crisis.
It represents a shift in the UK’s migration policy following Labour’s decision to abandon the Conservative-led Rwanda deportation plan shortly after the general election.
Instead, Starmer’s administration is focusing on dismantling the human trafficking networks that profit from smuggling migrants across the Channel in unsafe boats.
The deal announced today marks a symbolic shift in Franco-British cooperation on border security, though it is expected to launch on a modest scale.
According to Le Monde, the pilot will initially see about 50 migrants per week returned to France — a figure that reflects only a small portion of current arrivals.
More than 21,000 people have reached the UK in small boats so far in 2025 — the highest ever figure for this point in the year, suggesting that early returns will impact just a fraction of the total crossings.
If the current migration rate holds, one in every 17 arrivals would be returned under the plan’s initial scope, prompting questions about its effectiveness as a deterrent.
A government source told The Times that the number of returns would increase over time, pending a successful “proof of concept” phase.
However, the UK’s proposal has drawn criticism from some EU member states, including Italy, Spain, and Greece, who fear it could place added pressure on other parts of the continent.
They argue that returning migrants to mainland Europe without a coordinated EU framework risks shifting the burden rather than resolving it.
Starmer reiterated that his government is working to “smash the criminal gangs” at the heart of people-smuggling operations, and to clamp down on businesses employing undocumented workers.
Since taking office, the Labour government has struck several bilateral deals aimed at tackling irregular migration, including recent agreements with Vietnam and Albania.
Despite these efforts, the number of Channel arrivals this year continues to rise, suggesting that more robust deterrents may be needed.
The Home Office states that enforcement teams have intensified workplace inspections and arrests as part of a national campaign to eliminate illegal employment opportunities.
Starmer and Macron are expected to hold a joint press briefing later today to outline the details of their summit and answer questions from the media.
A Downing Street spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday that the two leaders had committed to “new and innovative solutions” to disrupt the smuggling industry.
“The focus now is on implementing deterrents that break the business model of the gangs and restore public confidence in the UK’s asylum system,” the spokesperson said.
Editing by M10News Politics Desk | Contact: info@m10news.com
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