Starmer's 'one in, one out' migrant deal is branded a failure

KEIR Starmer's "one in, one out" agreement to end the small boats crisis has been branded a failure by the officials employed to carry it out, as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper downplayed concerns the plan could be blocked by Brussels.

- By Jonathan Walker Whitehall Editor

Speaking as small-boat migrants continued to pour into Dover yesterday, the body representing immigration staff said the deal struck by Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron was only “scratching a very bare minimum of the surface”.

Immigration Services Union Spokesperson Lucy Moreton said: “We need to be able to go a lot further if it’s going to do anything other than simply put more money into criminal gangs.” The union represents staff in Home Office agencies including Border Force, Immigration Enforcement and UK Visas and Immigration.

Doubts were raised about whether the scheme would go ahead at all, as Ms Cooper admitted the European Union had “concerns” about the policy — which requires the backing of the European Commission and EU states.

She revealed the UK and France had been trying to win support from EU commissioners since October. Ms Cooper said: “We’ve also been talking to other European interior ministers and governments throughout this process. That is why we have designed this in a way to work, not just for the UK and France, but in order to fit with all their concerns as well.”

The Home Secretary refused to deny reports that only 50 migrants per week would be returned to France at first, a fraction of those arriving, saying the numbers are “not fixed”.