Sir Kyle Starmer said the UK will return to immigrate to France within weeks under the new pilot program.
Under the “one person, one person” deal, some arrivals will be sent back to France, and in exchange, the UK will receive the same number of asylum seekers but will be subject to security checks.
Speaking with French President Emmanuel Macron at the end of his three-day state visit, the Prime Minister said the plan would show that attempts to cross the boat and cross the passage would be “fruitful.”
The program reportedly returns up to 50 people per week, but Sir Kyle did not confirm any numbers.
He said the “groundbreaking” plan would help “break the pattern of people’s smugglers” and, if successful, will intensify.
He said illegal immigration was a “global crisis, an EU crisis and a crisis in our two countries”.
More than 170,000 people have arrived in the UK in small boats since the number collection began in 2018. The figures have reached record levels this year, reaching nearly 20,000 in the first six months of 2025.
Macron said the plan would have a “deterrent effect” beyond the returned number.
He added that Brexit made it harder for Britain to resolve illegal immigration, believing that the British people “selled lies…that’s the problem is Europe”.
In a press conference, the two leaders also announced that their country will:
-
Coordinate its nuclear deterrence,,,,, Meaning they will jointly mobilize weapons in the event of an attack
-
Strengthen collaboration with supercomputers and AI
-
“Accelerate and accelerate” cooperation of anti-ship missiles.
Some details of the boat deal, including how the UK decides who to send back to France, are not clear, although it is understood that the pilot will start with adults.
Those who live in France but want to come to the UK will be able to express interest in applying for asylum through the online platform.
Priorities will be given to those from the country’s most susceptible to smugglers and those with connections to the UK.
In a statement issued after the press conference, the government said the agreement would “complete a previous legal review before comprehensive transparency and understanding of the Commission and EU member states”.
Other EU countries (such as Spain and Italy) may be concerned that returning immigrants may be sent to them. Under EU regulations, individuals sent back to France must demand asylum in the first European country they arrive, which is usually bordering the Mediterranean Sea.
Sir Kyle said: “There are no silver bullets here, but with unified efforts, new strategies and new intentions, we can finally turn the table”.
In addition to rewarding the pilot, he also promised to “suppress” illegal work, which would ensure that the work that traffickers promised to migrants “will no longer exist.”
The government said it plans to endure hot spots of illegal work, such as delivery riders.
Macron said the two countries will “strengthen joint actions between countries of origin and countries of transport.”
Sir Kyle announced the pilot, “I know some people will still ask why we are bringing anyone in – so let me solve this problem directly.
“We accept people seeking asylum because we provide a safe haven for most people who are desperately in need.
“But there are other things, and more practically, we simply can’t solve challenges, like the challenge of acting alone and telling our allies that we won’t play.”
Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the deal “will only return one in every 17 illegal immigrants arrive.”
“It will be no difference and no deterrent to allow 94% of illegal immigrants to stay.”
British reform leader Nigel Farage said the intersection was a “national security emergency.”
He added: “Frankly, the French owed us money.”
He said he did not believe the pilot would work, saying: “If we try to expel people across the channel, we will be directly participating in the European Convention on Human Rights.”
Charity Shelter is going to do: “We don’t need another expensive, invalid, dangerous Rwandan-style head.
“It’s very simple: the only way to stop people from going on dangerous journeys is to provide them with a truly safe route to seek asylum.”
Both the Labor Party and the former Conservative government are working to curb the numbers that the boats come to Britain.
Conservatives have proposed sending the arrivals to Rwanda, but the plan has been postponed by legal challenges. The election is called before it is implemented.
One of Sir Keir’s first actions as prime minister was to abolish the plan and call it a gi head.
He said his administration will focus on addressing smuggling gangs at the intersections.
