26 migrants sent to France while nearly 10,000 have arrived since deal

More migrants attempted to cross the Channel on Friday as the Government announced 26 people had been deported under its returns deal with France, while nearly 10,000 arrived since the launch of the scheme – including 18 welcomed as part of the returns deal.

Around 100 men and women seeking to make the journey gathered on Gravelines beach in the north of the country on Friday morning, where some collided with French police as they sought to reach a small boat.

Officers used pepper spray to stop people from reaching the vessel, with at least 70 making it on board before taking off towards Dover.

It comes as the Home Office announced 19 migrants had been removed to France in the first group of deportations under the “one in, one out” deal with Paris this week, taking the total number of people removed to 26.

Meanwhile, 9,912 people have arrived in the UK by small boat since detentions under the scheme began on August 7.

“Huge potential”

Speaking to broadcasters on Friday morning, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said there was “huge potential” for deportations to increase under the scheme, the aim of which in its pilot stage is to “get things going”.

“With the pilot now being rolled out, now, we have the potential to be able to ramp it up,” she told LBC.

“I do want to see those numbers increase. I also want to see that be built with other countries as well. We do have to test processes and deliver it.

“If you remember, the previous government ran a Rwanda scheme that ran for two-and-a-half years, didn’t return a single person.”

Ms Cooper, who worked closely on implementing the UK-French deal in her previous brief as home secretary, told BBC Breakfast: “It’s a pilot phase, but that has huge potential, because that is returning for the first time people who arrive on small boats… where the boats set off from.

“That was something that was never possible under the previous government.”

18 welcomed

Some 35,503 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats so far this year, 33% higher than at this point in 2024, according to PA news agency analysis of Home Office figures.

On Wednesday, 1,075 migrants made the journey, with a further 27 arriving on Thursday, according to provisional data.

Over the course of this week, 19 people were returned to France on two flights, on top of seven other deportations taking place in the last month, the Home Office said on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the UK has welcomed in 18 eligible migrants including nine this week, who went through a process of rigorous security checks, according to the Home Office.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “With flights to France now under way and ramping up, we are sending out a clear message: if you come here illegally, you face being detained and removed, so think twice before making that journey.”