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Small Boat Migrants will be detained and Returned as part of France return deal.

Small Boat Migrants will be detained and Returned as part of France return deal.
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The new deal aims to undermine that business model by closing off irregular routes and promoting safer, legal pathways.

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Home secretary Yvette Cooper says migrants who arrive on small boats will be detained and returned.

UK and France Strike Landmark Deal to Return Migrants

In a significant post-Brexit development, the UK has agreed to a new migrant returns deal with France. The one-in-one-out scheme will see migrants who arrive in the UK via small boats returned to France, while an equal number of approved asylum seekers will be accepted by Britain.

The pilot programme, announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Emmanuel Macron, marks the first formal agreement of its kind between the two nations since the UK left the EU.

Migrants to Be Detained Before Removal

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed that individuals arriving in small boats will be detained to prevent them fleeing before they are returned to France.

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While she declined to specify exactly who would be detained, she made clear this measure was essential to ensure the system works. “We will be detaining people certainly as the pilot is introduced,” she told the BBC, adding that more details will emerge as the plan is rolled out.

Numbers Will Start Small, But Could Rise

Initially, the scheme will see around 50 people returned each week, with 50 others arriving in the UK through official asylum channels.

Cooper noted that the numbers aren’t fixed, and the government hopes to scale the programme gradually. “We are going to do this in a steady way,” she explained, emphasising that operational updates will follow as the system matures.

A Break from the Past: Post-Brexit Cooperation

The deal represents a shift in tone from recent UK administrations. Cooper criticised the previous government for failing to secure a functional agreement after losing access to the EU’s Dublin Regulation. “For six years they just shouted at France,” she said. In contrast, Labour has worked to build cooperation with Paris, enabling this “groundbreaking” return arrangement.

Smuggler Gangs Exploiting Every Loophole

Cooper warned that criminal smuggling networks have consistently adapted to policy changes, using Brexit to pressure migrants into quick crossings with false promises. “Whatever arrangements are in place, they will use them to make money,” she said.

The new deal aims to undermine that business model by closing off irregular routes and promoting safer, legal pathways.

Macron Blames Brexit Lies for Policy Chaos

President Macron didn’t mince words in his assessment of the UK’s post-Brexit immigration challenges.

He argued that British voters were misled by Brexiteers and highlighted the damage caused by losing the Dublin Agreement. His comments added a frank layer of context to a deal that many see as an attempt to fix a broken system.

Labour Sees This as a Turning Point

Labour is positioning the deal as a diplomatic and operational breakthrough. With France pledging to increase efforts to stop small boat crossings and the UK pledging legal routes for genuine asylum seekers, the hope is to move toward a more humane and effective migration system.

Whether the pilot succeeds long-term will depend on careful implementation and political will on both sides of the Channel.

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