More than 2,500 migrants have crossed the English Channel in small boats during the first 11 days since the Government's flagship "one in, one out" agreement with France took effect. The scheme launched on August 6 following talks between Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) and President Emmanuel Macron in July.
Under the pilot programme, each person returned to France should be matched by another with a strong asylum case being granted entry to the UK. However, no deportations have taken place yet, though the first detentions occurred in Dover earlier this month.
Officials indicate deportations may not begin for up to three months, raising questions about the scheme's immediate effectiveness in deterring crossings.
Political backlash grows
Reform UK MP Lee Anderson has criticised the situation, claiming "the whole of Europe is laughing at us". The Ashfield MP told Express.co.uk that French authorities are "waving through and assisting illegal migrants to enter our country and are being paid by the British people to do so".
Anderson added: "Meanwhile British women and girls are too scared to leave their homes. I am ashamed of what our country is becoming."
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp argued the figures show Labour is failing to deliver on its pledge to control the borders. Critics suggest the returns deal has "no deterrent effect whatsoever" until deportations actually begin.
Safety concerns mount
Aid workers have raised alarm about smugglers using larger vessels to transport more people. A so-called "mega dinghy" capable of holding more than 100 people was reportedly spotted in the Channel this week.
Rob Lawrie, an aid worker, told the BBC that smugglers believe they can now load up to 150 people on a single boat. Warning that children had already been crushed during crossings, he said: "That's a lot more people, overcrowding an extra-large boat."
Home Office officials are investigating whether this represents a new tactic or was an isolated incident.
Broader migration picture
Around 28,000 people have reached the UK in small boats so far this year, with over 50,000 crossing since Labour came to power in July 2024. According to BBC analysis, Afghans were the top nationality arriving by small boat, followed by Syrians and Iranians.
The National Crime Agency reports some success in disrupting supply chains, noting 20 inflatable boats were seized in Bulgaria last week. This marked the second such find in less than a month.
Almost one-third of the 108,000 people who claimed asylum in the UK in 2024 arrived on small boats, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing the Government.
Government stands firm
Sir Keir Starmer has defended the approach, insisting: "If you break the law to enter this country, you will face being sent back. When I say I will stop at nothing to secure our borders, I mean it."
The continuing crossings underline the challenge facing Labour, which promised to "smash the gangs" behind the dangerous journeys when it came to power.
Sources used: "Express", "BBC" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
