The UK will start detaining people who arrive by small boat and returning some to France “within days” after the EU approved a deal with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Under the agreement, the UK will be able to send some asylum seekers back to France for the first time, while accepting others directly from France through a safe legal route. Those who cross the Channel by small boat will no longer qualify for safe routes.
About 50 people a week are expected to be returned under the pilot “one in, one out” scheme. The Home Office says the plan is ready to launch, with detentions likely to begin soon. Summer is typically the peak time for crossings—on 30 July alone, 898 people arrived.
So far this year, around 25,000 people have sought asylum after crossing the Channel in small boats. Critics argue the scheme won’t make a dent in arrivals, calling it more like “17 in, one out.”
Priority for the new safe route will go to those most at risk, with full security and eligibility checks. The pilot will run until June 2026, after which both countries will review its effectiveness.
The deal was signed last week by UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, with approval from the European Commission—seen as a potential hurdle.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the agreement the result of “grown-up diplomacy” that delivers real results, striking at the heart of smuggling gangs. “The days of gimmicks and broken promises are over,” he said. “We will restore order to our borders with the seriousness the British people deserve.”
Cooper said the government would defend any legal challenges, learning from the failed Rwanda deportation plan. She added that the scheme undermines smugglers’ claims that illegal arrivals can’t be sent back to France.
Preparations are underway, including clearing space in detention centers and training Border Force officials to identify ineligible asylum seekers. Those returned to France will be barred from legal routes to the UK, and repeat attempts will be met with immediate return.
Opponents argue the scheme will have “no difference whatsoever,” blaming the rise in crossings on government policies.Here’s a more natural and fluent version of your text:
“News on Labour’s decision to cancel the Rwanda scheme.”
This keeps the original meaning while making it sound more natural in English. Let me know if you’d like any further refinements!
