UK and France Seal Landmark Deal: Migrants Arriving by Boat to Be Returned to France

In a significant move to curb illegal English Channel crossings, the United Kingdom and France have reached a groundbreaking pilot agreement to return some migrants arriving in Britain by small boat back to France. Announced today by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron in London, the deal represents a pivotal step in addressing the escalating migrant crisis.

The new arrangement, dubbed ‘one in, one out,’ will see Britain repatriate a limited number of individuals who cross the Channel illegally, while simultaneously accepting an equal number of migrants with legitimate asylum claims. Prime Minister Starmer hailed the agreement as a major breakthrough, setting a precedent for the swift return of undocumented arrivals. “For the very first time, migrants arriving via small boat will be detained and returned to France in short order,” Starmer declared, signaling a renewed determination to curb the crossings.

Set to commence in the coming weeks, the initiative comes as the UK faces a sharp increase in small boat arrivals, with over 21,000 people reaching British shores this year alone—a 56% surge compared to the same period last year. Both leaders emphasized the deterrent effect of the pilot plan, acknowledging the shared challenges of irregular migration and the inherent dangers of the Channel crossing.

This agreement emerged from a broader summit focused on enhancing Anglo-French cooperation, which also yielded new accords on defense coordination and concerted support for Ukraine, underscoring a renewed commitment to collaborative solutions on mutual security and international issues.

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