'The priority must be reducing the number of illegal migrants in our country, not simply replacing them'

SWAPPING small boats migrants for legitimate asylum seekers will not solve the immigration crisis as it will mean the same number of people will end up in Britain, MPs have warned.

- By Michael Knowles Home Affairs Editor

The alarm was sounded yesterday after it emerged that the UK and France were discussing a “one-for-one” deal that would see illegal immigrants being sent back across the Channel.

In exchange, Britain would take in people from France with legal reasons to come to the UK, such as being reunited with families already here.

The plan emerged as provisional Home Office figures revealed that on Tuesday a total of 705 migrants arrived on our shores after crossing the Channel - the highest number on a single day so far this year.

And the mooted deal angered critics, who warned it would not work.

Reform UK MP Lee Anderson said: “The priority must be reducing the number of illegal migrants in our country, not simply replacing them.”

He added: “Instead of negotiating trade-style agreements concerning migrants, the focus should be on securing and closing our borders.

“Such a strategy would be more effective, less costly and far simpler.”

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told the Daily Express: “The only way to deter crossings is if all those crossing get sent somewhere else — not just a ‘small number’.

“This proposal therefore won't work. There was a plan to introduce a comprehensive removals deterrent — Rwanda. But Labour cancelled it before it even started.

The EU will want us to take a lot in before they take anyone

“This new deal, if it happens, wouldn’t see numbers coming into the UK reduce — as, for each of the ‘small number’ of migrants sent back to France, we would get another one arriving.

“This year has been the worst year on record for illegal immigrants crossing the Channel.