Plenty of big issues have been on the table during Emmanuel Macron’s state visit this week, but one looms over all: the small boats crisis.
The French President has been locked into discussions with Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the past two days to find a solution that will keep all sides happy.
After a final round of talks today, it is thought the two leaders will announce an agreement centred on a ‘one in, one out’ policy for migrants.
That will mean for every small-boat migrant who is sent back to the continent, an asylum seeker with a genuine link to the UK would be brought over.
While this would initially mean no change in the number of people arriving in the UK, it’s hoped migrants would be deterred from making the trip if they think there’s a chance they won’t get to stay.
However, reports suggest the plans would start small.
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According to French newspaper Le Monde, around 50 migrants a week would be swapped at first – meaning only a fraction of small boat arrivals would be sent back under the deal.
More than 21,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats from France so far in 2025, the highest number ever for this point in the year.
At the current rate of crossings, just one in 17 migrants arriving in the UK would be returned if the ’50 per week’ figure proves accurate.
Citing a government source, the Times reported that the scheme would be scaled up once the ‘proof of concept’ had been demonstrated.
The ‘one in, one out’ approach has been criticised by several other EU countries, including Italy, Spain and Greece, due to concerns it could lead to them having to take in people who have been returned to the Continent.
Meanwhile, Macron has been asking the UK to address the ‘pull factors’ that lead migrants to attempt the dangerous journey across the sea in the first place.
Starmer scrapped Conservative plans for migrants to be sent to Rwanda soon after the election, instead placing focus on ‘smashing the gangs’ that charge thousands to sail people to England in flimsy vessels.
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In the first year of his government, he has announced a number of deals with countries including Vietnam and Albania to tackle what is formally called irregular migration.
But the increased number of arrivals so far this year suggests this technique is not yet bearing fruit.
Macron and Starmer will hold a press conference to discuss the outcome of today’s summit this afternoon.
A Downing Street spokesperson said yesterday: ‘The two leaders agreed on the need to go further and make progress on new and innovative solutions, including a new deterrent to break the business model of these gangs.’
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