Keir Starmer is intensifying efforts to counter Nigel Farage by boosting a repatriation agreement with France and reducing illegal small boat crossings by 75%, as per a recent report. Former Labour Home Secretary Charles Clarke has urged government officials to adopt a pragmatic and humane strategy. Recent polling indicates that nearly half of the electorate would back the admission of up to 50,000 asylum seekers into the UK under a ‘one in, one out’ arrangement.
Starmer is advancing a pact with French President Emmanuel Macron to return small boat arrivals in exchange for individuals with valid asylum claims. Initially limited to 50 returns per week, this figure is expected to increase substantially, according to British Future. While the Home Office anticipates imminent returns, a setback occurred when the High Court temporarily halted one of the initial deportation plans.
A report by British Future think-tank proposes scaling up the intake of controlled refugee arrivals across the Channel to 50,000, which could garner public support if tied to a mutual agreement with France on returnees. The report suggests this as Prime Minister’s most viable approach to significantly curbing boat arrivals. Drawing parallels to the US, the report highlights Joe Biden’s success in reducing illegal crossings from Mexico by 81% in a year through a similar strategy.
The report recommends that the Government set a goal to slash small boat arrivals by 75% over the next three years. It asserts that Macron would prefer collaborating with Starmer rather than facing a confrontational successor. Ipsos polling of over 3,000 adults reveals strong support for a ‘one in, one out’ deal, with Reform voters also in favor. The majority would endorse the arrangement even with a 50,000 cap, while a minority opposes it.
Sunder Katwala, director of British Future and report co-author, emphasizes the need for a proactive plan from the new Home Secretary to address small boat challenges effectively. Citing Biden’s success in establishing capped legal routes and enhanced cooperation with Mexico, the report advocates for a similar approach in the UK. It denounces Farage’s proposal to repatriate refugees to oppressive regimes and warns against abandoning the Refugee Convention.
A Home Office spokesperson underscores the government’s commitment to combatting immigration system abuse by collaborating closely with international partners. The UK-France Treaty allows for the detention and repatriation of small boat arrivals, with the ‘one in, one out’ pilot scheme set to commence soon. Although the High Court intervened in one case, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall affirms that the overall agreement remains unaffected.
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