More than 35,000 people have crossed to the UK on small boats in 2025, yet only 26 migrants have been returned to France, reports BritPanorama.
Two chartered flights have repatriated migrants in the last fortnight as part of the government’s one-in, one-out agreement with Paris. However, despite Labour officials asserting that this arrangement sends a “clear message,” over 1,000 individuals arrived on boats on Wednesday alone.
Fifteen vessels transported 1,075 people on that day, raising the total number of arrivals this year to 35,476. This figure indicates that a mere 0.07 per cent of those landing have been deported.
The Home Office has released footage of a flight that took off last week carrying ten migrants to France, where numerous guards were seen escorting people onto the aircraft.
Controversial Repatriation Policy
Under the British taxpayer-funded reciprocal arrangement, 18 eligible individuals have been allowed to move to the UK so far. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated, “We are sending a clear message: if you come here illegally, you face being detained and removed, so think twice before making that journey.”
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer is advancing plans to enable more foreign workers to fill critical roles in the UK, despite existing visa restrictions intended to limit migration levels. Professions such as dancers, photographers, and welders are among 82 “crucial” positions potentially exempted to address short-term skills shortages.
The goal is to maintain low migration numbers, as these visas will be temporary and not conducive to settlement. However, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticized the initiative, claiming, “This is madness. We should be ending all forms of low-wage migration, not opening it up. It is insane to claim we have a critical shortage of dancers and photographers.”
