Britain has promised to begin detaining “within days” asylum seekers who arrive there illegally on small boats, under a returns deal with France that was ratified this week.
The “one in, one out” deal was agreed last month, but only finalised in recent days. It stipulates that Britain can send a small number of small boat arrivals back to France. However, it must also accept an equal number of migrants sent by the French in the other direction, such as family members of migrants already living in the UK.
Yvette Cooper, Britain’s home secretary, suggested the first detainees could be sent back to France “within weeks”. Britain’s Labour government has insisted the returns deal with France will act as a deterrent to illegal immigrants.
Ms Cooper declined, however, to give an exact timeline on when the first returns would take place, while Britain’s home office also would not confirm how many migrants would be sent back to France under the scheme, which will operate on a pilot basis for the next 12 months. It is believed only about 50 a week will be sent back initially.
READ MORE
The arrival on small boats of illegal immigrants to English shores – many of whom then go on to claim asylum – has been a significant political issue in Britain since 2018. The previous Tory government devised a scheme to send such immigrants on to Rwanda, but this was scrapped by Labour immediately upon winning the election last July.
Since then, however, small boat arrivals have soared, putting significant political pressure on prime minister Keir Starmer’s government. Official statistics show about 25,000 have arrived on small boats so far this year, up almost 50 per cent on 2024.
Figures released by the home office in recent days show 1,047 arrived on 15 boats on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week alone. Balmy weather in Britain since May has contributed to the rise, due to calmer sea conditions that facilitate more crossings.
Britain’s government this week announced a further £100 million (€115 million) would be spent on border security, including funding for up to 300 extra National Crime Agency officers to tackle the issue.
“The days of gimmicks and broken promises are over – we will restore order to our borders with the seriousness and competence the British people deserve,” said Mr Starmer.
The wider topic of illegal immigration and asylum seekers continues to raise tensions in Britain, a year after an outbreak of race-fuelled riots across England. There were several demonstrations over the weekend in London, Manchester and Newcastle outside hotels that provide accommodation to asylum seekers.
Meanwhile, hard-right activists who have demonstrated against immigration continue to draw significant media attention in Britain. Prominent activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, was released on bail on Tuesday after he was arrested on Monday at Luton airport. He had been sought by UK police last week following the alleged assault of another man at St Pancras train station in London.
Mr Yaxley-Lennon released a video on Tuesday in which he alleged he had been the one assailed by a man, who was filmed by a passerby lying on the ground at St Pancras, allegedly following an altercation with Mr Yaxley-Lennon.
The activist complained to his social media followers that he can no longer walk the streets of Britain alone. He insisted, however, that he had not fled from Britain after the St Pancras incident, as media had reported, but that his trip abroad had been pre-planned.
