UK-France Pilot Migrant Returns Deal Launches Amid Uncertain Numbers

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron announced a new pilot ‘one in, one out’ migrant returns agreement aimed at curbing illegal small boat crossings of the English Channel. The deal allows for migrants arriving in the UK to be returned to France in exchange for those with legitimate claims to enter the UK through legal routes. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has declined to specify how many migrants will be returned under the scheme, stating the numbers are not fixed and the program will be rolled out gradually, with some French reports suggesting an initial limit of about 50 returns per week—a small fraction of the average weekly crossings. Macron criticized Brexit for complicating the UK’s ability to tackle illegal immigration, a point Cooper neither confirmed nor denied, but emphasized the need to undermine people-smuggling gangs exploiting any political changes. Despite the agreement, the number of small boat crossings remains high, raising questions about the effectiveness and scale of the pilot scheme. The initiative marks a political win for Starmer, who advocates for cooperative approaches with European allies, despite criticism from some Tory figures and media.