QUELLE TOTALE FARCE!

350 migrants arrive but only 281 leave under Starmer's French deal 'disaster'

- BY MICHAEL KNOWLES Home Affairs Editor

KEIR Starmer's flagship migrant policy was called a "total farce" as Shabana Mahmood admitted Labour has taken in more people from France than it sent back.

The Home Secretary said 350 asylum seekers arrived under the “one-in, one-out” deal in its first six months, but just 281 were deported.

She denied the scheme is a “disaster”, insisting “the numbers will grow”, as she revealed immigration officials struggled to find people to come to Britain via the new legal route. On average, just 11 migrants have been sent back each week since the scheme came into force on August 6.

Sources blamed the imbalance on a cancelled flight. But Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: "This is a lamentable admission of failure by the Home Secretary. The government scheme has resulted in a net inflow of 70 immigrants.

"Worse than that, they have only removed 281 illegal immigrants when 41,000 arrived last year. The chances of an illegal Channel migrant being removed under this scheme are virtually zero.

"It's no surprise that illegal immigrants continue to flood across the Channel on this Home Secretary's watch. She has no control of illegal immigrants crossing. The only way to stop this is to exit the ECHR and deport all illegal immigrants within a week of arrival. But the Home Secretary is too weak to do that." Tory MP Mr Philp added: "This whole scheme has been a total farce from start to finish.

Crumbling