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UK and France to agree migrant return deal to tackle Channel crossings – reports

27 Jun 2025 2 minute read
A group of people thought to be migrants on a dinghy near the beach at Gravelines, France. Image: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

The UK and France are expected to announce a one in, one out migrant returns deal to crack down on English Channel crossings, it has been reported.

Plans for a pilot could be revealed next week, which marks one year since Sir Keir Starmer’s Government came to power, or later in the summer, according to the Times.

The deal could see migrants who arrive in the UK by crossing the English Channel in small boats returned to France, while the UK would accept those with legitimate claims to join family already in the country.

It comes as the Government has vowed to crack down on people smuggling gangs across the Channel, while crossings are at a record high for this point in the year, totalling 18,518.

Strengthening relationships

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has been leading the talks, the paper added, who is credited with strengthening relationships with French counterparts.

French officials have also agreed to changes that would allow police patrolling the coast to take action in the sea when migrants climb into boats from the water.

People thought to be migrants wade through the sea to board a small boat leaving the beach at Gravelines, France, in an attempt to reach the UK by crossing the English Channel. Image: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

Under the new returns deal, a joint processing system between the UK and France would be set up to identify migrants who have a valid claim for family reunification in the UK, the Times reported.

For each person accepted to come to the UK, a migrant would be returned to France and relocated across the country away from its northern coastline where crossings take place.

“Migrant merry-go-round”

But reacting to the reports, shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “We pay the French half a billion pounds to wave the boats off from Calais, and in return we get a migrant merry-go-round where the same number still come here.

“The French are failing to stop the boats at sea, failing to return them like the Belgians do, and now instead of demanding real enforcement, Labour are trying a ‘one in, one out’ gimmick.”


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Frank
Frank
22 days ago

What’s the betting that France will get the best deal. It will probably cost the UK millions and France will benefit by millions for carrying on as usual.

Boris
Boris
22 days ago
Reply to  Frank

One of the many benefits of membership was it stopped French shenanigans, which is why they tried so hard to stop the UK joining. Macron hasn’t stopped laughing since 2016.

Amir
Amir
22 days ago

There needs to be a penalty clause for each boat that makes it across.

Adam
Adam
20 days ago

I don’t understand why Britain voted for this very mess, and now complains about the very mess it caused.

Garycymru
Garycymru
19 days ago
Reply to  Adam

Brexit is the gift that keeps giving.
“They knew what they were voting for”.

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