Keir Starmer is intensifying efforts to challenge Nigel Farage by enhancing a repatriation agreement with France and reducing small boat crossings by 75%, according to a recent report. Former Labour Home Secretary Charles Clarke has urged ministers to adopt a pragmatic and compassionate approach. A new poll indicates that nearly half of voters would back allowing up to 50,000 asylum seekers into the UK under a ‘one in, one out’ arrangement.
Starmer is moving forward with a deal brokered with French President Emmanuel Macron, where individuals arriving via small boats would be sent back in exchange for those with valid asylum claims. Although initially limited to 50 returns per week, British Future suggests scaling this up significantly. The Home Office has announced imminent returns, but faced a setback when the High Court temporarily halted one of the planned deportations.
A report by British Future think-tank proposes expanding the intake of refugees to 50,000 in a regulated manner across the Channel, in conjunction with France accepting unauthorized arrivals. The report suggests this strategy could garner public support and significantly reduce the number of boat crossings. Drawing parallels with Joe Biden’s success in decreasing illegal border crossings in the US, the report emphasizes the potential impact of a similar approach in the UK.
The report advocates for a government target of reducing small boat arrivals by 75% over the next three years. It asserts that Macron would prefer collaborating with Starmer rather than facing a successor inclined towards confrontation. Polling data from Ipsos reveals that a majority of adults support the ‘one in, one out’ deal, with a significant portion in favor even with a 50,000 cap.
Sunder Katwala, director of British Future and report co-author, emphasizes the need for a proactive and evidence-based plan to address small boat crossings. Reflecting on Biden’s successful implementation of capped legal routes and enhanced cooperation with Mexico, the report underscores the effectiveness of such strategies in deterring illegal crossings.
The report condemns Farage’s proposal to repatriate refugees to oppressive regimes like the Taliban, warning that leaving the Refugee Convention could impede return agreements with stable governments. Katwala advocates for an orderly and humane system over populist approaches that cater to a minority.
A Home Office spokesperson highlights the government’s efforts to combat immigration system abuse through enhanced international partnerships. The recent UK-France Treaty enables the detention and repatriation of individuals arriving via small boats, with the ‘one in, one out’ pilot scheme set to commence soon.
Following a High Court order preventing the return of an Eritrean man to France, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall reassured that the overall agreement would proceed despite this setback.