Downing Street ‘open’ to idea of new ‘one in, one out’ migrant deal which would see Britain take migrants from across the European Union
Downing Street has said it is "open" to discussions on a new EU-wide "one in, one out" migrant deal, after France's interior minister Laurent Nunez indicated Paris wants to end the current bilateral arrangement with Britain. The existing scheme, agreed between Emmanuel Macron and Sir Keir Starmer last summer, only covers returns to France and is due to expire on 1 October; France wants it replaced with a broader EU-UK mechanism covering several member states. The move matters because it could reshape how the UK handles Channel crossings, with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood keen to make an expanded, permanent arrangement a stronger deterrent.
Under the current deal, Britain has returned around 1,400 Channel migrants to France while accepting a similar number of asylum seekers in return, against more than 17,000 small boat arrivals so far this year. Critics, including shadow home secretary Chris Philp, argue the scheme is largely ineffective since returns represent under 5% of arrivals, despite the UK giving France £660 million. Prime Minister Andy Burnham reportedly lobbied Macron directly last week to extend the scheme, while crossings are down over 40% year-on-year even as smugglers increasingly use larger "mega-dinghies" capable of carrying more than 100 people.
In short
- No 10 open to EU-wide migrant return deal replacing France-only scheme
- French minister says current pilot deal will not be renewed past October
- Critics say only 5% of arrivals are returned, questioning its deterrent effect
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A broader EU-wide deal could make returns more credible by involving more countries, while giving the UK a structured way to accept asylum seekers through regular routes. Supporters could argue that sharing responsibility across Europe is fairer and that a durable system may deter dangerous crossings and weaken smugglers, even if the current France-only scheme has had limited reach so far.
The case against
Critics could argue that the existing scheme has returned only a small share of arrivals despite substantial UK funding, so expanding it may bring more obligations without a proven deterrent. They may also question whether accepting asylum seekers from across the EU would reduce irregular crossings, and favour directing resources towards measures with clearer evidence of effectiveness.
Explained simply
The UK and France have been trying to manage Channel crossings through an arrangement that allows Britain to return some asylum seekers to France while accepting others into the UK to have their claims considered. It was agreed by French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and is due to expire on 1 October.
The Channel is a major route for people seeking asylum in the UK, often crossing in small boats arranged by people smugglers. The UK and France have different responsibilities for handling asylum claims, and governments have sought ways to discourage dangerous crossings and manage arrivals.
A wider EU-UK arrangement could involve more European countries in accepting returns and asylum seekers. Its importance would depend on which countries joined and how the system worked, amid debate over whether the current UK-France scheme has had a meaningful effect.
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