Starmer's Migrant Returns Deal With France Is Already Being Picked Apart

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, and French President Emmanuel Macron attend a plenary at the UK-France Summit in Downing Street, London Thursday, July 10, 2025.Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron proudly presented their new, one-in, one-out, scheme last month in the hope it would finally deter small boat crossings.But, as the agreement was ratified on Tuesday, critics began to spot certain issues with the deal which suggested it may not be as water-tight as hoped...Here’s what you need to know.What’s in the new deal?The deal means the two countries have agreed to deter small boat crossings in the English Channel going from France to the UK.The one-in, one-out returns policy means any undocumented person entering the UK on a small boat from here on out can be detained immediately and returned to France.In exchange, the UK has to accept just as many migrants from France – albeit through a new asylum route – although anyone who already has a family connection in Britain will be prioritised.The agreement will be run on a trial basis for the next 11 months, with detentions expected to start within a matter of days and removals kicking off within a few weeks.Why are the concerns?There’s a so-called ‘human rights loophole’The Tories have argued that the treaty has a loophole because migrants with human rights claims might be able to stay in the UK.Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the deal is “completely unworkable and will be ruthlessly exploited by human rights lawyers to prevent people being returned to France”.Culture secretary Lisa Nandy denied that this morning and said such claims will be heard in France.However, on Sky News, she refused to confirm that anyone with outstanding human rights claims will be able to stay in the UK while that goes through the courts.She said: “We’re speeding up the court process to make sure that those delays will be minimal.”The Treaty itself stated a person will not have an outstanding human rights claim by the time of their transfer to France – meaning migrants might be able to stay in the UK for an indefinite amount of time while any legal challenges are processed is being processed.Migrants can also tell British authorities they are under 18, which means they will be ineligible for deportation, until a lengthy age assessment is carried out.People thought to be migrants who undertook the crossing from France in small boats and were picked up in the Channel.‘It risks causing the same harm as the Rwanda deal’Others fear that the deal is not strong enough when it comes to protecting migrants’ rights.Pierre Makhlouf, legal director at Bail for Immigration Detainees, told HuffPost UK he is concerned the government is “rushing” the process, meaning migrants could not have the right access to timely and adequate legal advice.“We saw last time with the Rwanda plan just how damaging and traumatising it was for the government to round up people into detention and onto planes, only to release them because they could not lawfully deport them,” he said.“With the Rwanda plan, we had a 100% success rate in securing bail for the people we assisted, who were often highly vulnerable people seeking asylum.“This returns deal risks causing that same cruelty, inflicting harm and long-lasting trauma on everyone detained and threatened with deportation.”Taxpayers will have to pay for migrant transportation costsThe treaty shows Brits will have to pay for migrants to be ferried back across the Channel.That’s on top of the £100 million set aside to strengthen border enforcement, and the £770 million the UK has sent to France over the last 12 years to stem the steady flow of illegal migration the UK.Considering a YouGov poll from last month found only 45% of 7,792 respondents support the deal, that’s a significant sum of money coming out of the public purse.France can reject the request to send a migrant backThe treaty explained that if France “considers that an individual would be a threat to public policy, internal security, public health or the international relations of any of the Schengen states” – that’s the name of the European states which have removed controls at their borders.France can also ignore a request to send someone back, meaning they have to stay in the UK.Related...Darren Jones Admits He Was Wrong To Say Most Migrants On Small Boats Are 'Children, Babies And Women'Starmer Says Illegal Migration 'Unfair' On Working People And MigrantsMinister Delivers Brutal Four-Word Answer To Tory MP's Question About Migrants

Comments

Breaking news

What happened with Prince Harry’s charity Sentebale?

Metro

Comments

Similar News

DAN HODGES: Keir Starmer has just exposed the truth about his migrant policy with this comment everyone missed. Britain is on the brink of societal collapse and Labour will push us even closer to the edge

Keir Starmer launches major plan to get children out bedrooms and off phones

Keir Starmer urged to give tourist tax powers to local leaders to boost public services

While Trump showed the world how to handle Brussels, Starmer waves the white flag on Brexit

Fox News slams Keir Starmer's leadership in UK as they issue urgent 'Big Brother is watching' alert

Keir Starmer hails major UK-France deal to tackle Channel small boat crossings

Sky News halted for 'breaking news' as Keir Starmer issued brutal blow

Sir Keir Starmer calls for police to be 'as transparent as possible' over ethnicity of sex offence suspects: PM forced to step in as Nigel Farage leads fury over 'cover-up of alleged attack on girl, 12, by Afghans'

Keir Starmer could recognise a Palestinian state with Hamas still in power - despite PM facing fresh backlash after terror group praises his move

Voices: ‘He’s a great negotiator and diplomat’: Starmer praised as UK outshines EU in Trump trade talks

STEPHEN GLOVER: Starmer is signing his political death warrant with his futile 'smash the gangs' policy. Deterrence is the only solution

This is proof Keir Starmer has only incentivised Hamas to inflict more agony, says ALAN MENDOZA

Why Keir Starmer is outdoing the EU when it comes to dealing with Donald Trump

Dame Chloe Kelly? Keir Starmer hints England's Euro-winning Lionesses could be in line to receive official honours

Keir Starmer is 'seriously considering' introducing digital ID system as a way to tackle immigration and bring public services back into shape

Keir Starmer hints Lionesses in line for honours after historic Euro 2025 triumph

Embarrassment for Keir Starmer's top aide who told PM he had to smash smuggling gangs - as it is revealed his father's firm was handed £6m to house asylum seekers

DAN HODGES: I thought Starmer was just weak. But after what ministers told me this week, I've had a chilling revelation about our manipulative Prime Minister

Top cabinet ministers at risk of losing seats even after Starmer recognises Palestinian state, pollsters warn

Inside Jeremy Corbyn's new party as Keir Starmer issued warning by top pollster

Breaking news

What happened with Prince Harry’s charity Sentebale?

Famous actress sexually assaulted by masseur in central London parlour

Birmingham Airport grounds flights after ‘aircraft incident’ on runway

'Pick Up The Phone!' Starmer Urged To Speak To Trump Amid Fears Israel May Reoccupy Gaza

Minister Accuses Top Tory Of Hypocrisy Over Migrant Deal Criticism In Scathing Takedown

A young surgeon tries to save lives at a crippled Gaza hospital

Study says ChatGPT giving teens dangerous advice on drugs, alcohol and suicide

PE teacher banned after allowing pupil with broken foot to play football

PHOTO ESSAY: Portraits of survivors of Israel's pager attack on Hezbollah last year

Survivors of Israel's pager attack on Hezbollah last year struggle to recover

Crufts trainer who allowed three dogs to bake to death in hot car is spared jail

Fears for Claire’s stores after US owner files for bankruptcy

Why the search for meaning can cause ‘purpose anxiety,’ and what to do about it

Bank of England ready to cut interest rates as jobs market slows, experts say

Starmer refuses to rule out tax rises in autumn as he faces growing pressure to fill £50bn budget black hole

Russia asks Central African Republic to replace Wagner with state-run Africa Corps and pay for it

Resident doctors to restart talks over pay dispute

Your junk could be Gen Z’s treasure. How to profit from the resurgence of Y2K fashion

Voices: ‘The whole tax system needs radical reform’: Readers weigh in on Reeves’ fiscal trilemma

Man accused of killing pregnant teen carrying his unborn child is linked to long history of sexual abuse, police say

Italy greenlights a $15.5 billion project to build bridge linking Sicily to the mainland

Trump’s envoy Witkoff will bring back only humiliation from his meeting with Putin

DOJ investigating Sen. Adam Schiff for alleged mortgage fraud, according to Laura Ingraham

Rescuers searching for US journalist who went missing while hiking in Norwegian National Park

UK gothic tower that's tallest in the world now for sale - what it's like inside

Prince Harry's charity row explained

Death of boy, 10, who fell down manhole was 'avoidable', inquiry finds

What is the UK-France migrant returns deal, who will be returned and how many?

Amazon knocks £100 off TCL 4K Smart TV that's 'so big it feels like a home cinema'

George and Mildred star Norman Eshley dies aged 80

Coatbridge man who witnessed birth, death and resurrection of Oasis believes Scottish gigs will be special

Man who died at Oasis Wembley concert 'slipped on beer' heartbroken dad says

Colourful celebration for West Lothian couple as they celebrate 65 years of marriage

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth pulls down website over accusations of pro-SNP bias

M8 crash biker rushed to hospital after pile up on major road

Scots with dementia who go missing can be traced faster with new life-saving device

TUI passengers can take all these items on board for free

West Dunbartonshire pupils celebrate exam results as 95% gain qualifications

Man found alive a week after going missing while hiking on Norwegian glacier

Man who murdered dog walker while he was on the run jailed for 25 years

The ‘Land of the free’ just became land of the $15,000 fee

Woman died after falling on escalator inside a shopping centre

Woman in a coma woke up moments before undergoing organ harvesting surgery

I Was One Of The First People Ever In The UK To Be Diagnosed With ADHD

Freakier Friday Reviews: What Are Critics Saying About The New Disney Sequel?

‘You Feel Like You’re Good For Nothing’: The Behaviour Hurting Kids As Much As Physical Abuse

Pedro Pascal Was Originally Cast In The New Horror Film Weapons

Starmer's Migrant Returns Deal With France Is Already Being Picked Apart

Michigan museum preserves Civil Rights artifacts amid federal efforts to downplay Black history

Trump’s destructive plan ‘will deny 1.4m women and girls birth control’

Afghan women turn to secret online coding courses to beat Taliban education ban

Fears for Claire’s stores after US owner files for bankruptcy

Spending just 15 minutes in nature can have this surprising health benefit

Pakistan extends Afghan refugee deportation deadline to Sept. 1

Watch: Trump envoy Witkoff meets with Putin as Russia-Ukraine peace deadline looms

Edmunds: The best used hybrid sedans for under $25,000

Pension for convicted police angers ministers