Macron, Starmer Launch UK-France Migrant Return Pilot Amid Brexit Criticism

French President Emmanuel Macron has sharply criticized Brexit, arguing it has failed to deliver promised tighter British border controls, as evidenced by a surge in illegal migrant crossings over the English Channel in 2025. Macron stated that Brexit has left the UK without formal migratory agreements like the Dublin regulation, incentivizing more crossings and contradicting pro-Brexit claims that leaving the EU would improve immigration control. In a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Macron described the situation as a 'lie sold to the British people' and highlighted a new 'one-in, one-out' migrant return deal between the UK and France as a pragmatic response. Nigel Farage, a leading Brexit advocate, fiercely rejected Macron's criticism, accusing the UK government of acting like an EU member and calling the deal a humiliation for Brexit Britain. The debate underscores ongoing tensions about Brexit's real impact on UK border security and European relations, with Macron emphasizing the need for cooperation despite political differences.