PM’s ‘one in, one out’ deal under threat after EU gripes

No 10 admits the planned Anglo-French agreement to return illegal migrants is ‘complex’ as Macron arrives for a state visit

- MILLIE COOKE, DAVID MADDOX

Sir Keir Starmer is facing a fight to salvage his much-vaunted deal with France to return illegal migrants and halt the increasing crossings of small boats across the English Channel.

With Emmanuel Macron arriving today for a three-day state visit, there are concerns the prime minister’s “one in, one out” agreement is close to collapse.

It is understood that Sir Keir had hoped the agreement would be the centrepiece of the French president’s state visit, but it has stalled amid opposition from other EU countries. Italy, Spain, Greece, Malta and Cyprus wrote to the European Commission over the proposals, fearing it could see asylum seekers returned to their shores instead.