Labour’s ‘one in, one out’ deal with France has been branded a joke after it emerged that Britain has so far accepted more migrants than it has sent back.
Official figures show that the UK has returned 193 people who crossed the Channel in small boats in the first two months of the much-vaunted scheme.
Yet over the same period, September to December, 195 asylum-seekers who have not previously tried to arrive illegally have been allowed to come here from France under the scheme. The Home Office originally said it would involve an ‘equal number’ travelling in each direction.
It is the latest setback for the deal agreed by Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron over the summer, following legal challenges and the farce of two men who were removed coming back in small boats soon afterwards.
Ministers hoped the threat of being sent back to France would deter others from making the trip but the final tally for 2025 showed on Thursday it was the second-worst year so far for small boat crossings.
A total of 41,472 migrants arrived in Britain in dinghies, only 9 per cent below the all-time record of 45,774 set in 2022.
The total for 2025 was 13 per cent higher than for the previous year, when 36,816 crossed, as people-smugglers crammed ever more people into larger boats.
However the pace slowed over the autumn, with poor weather at sea contributing to a 28-day run without any crossings and the last arrivals of the year recorded on December 20th.
In total 64,714 people have now made it to Dover in 1,095 dinghies since Labour came to power in July 2024, with many still being put up in 200 costly hotels around the country where a spate of violent and sexual crimes have sparked angry protests.
Migrants in France clambering into a small boat bound for Britain in July last yearÂ
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told the Daily Mail: ‘It is a joke that under Labour’s deal more immigrants have been let in than have been removed.
‘In any case, removing under 200 immigrants when over 40,000 have arrived so far this year is clearly no deterrent at all. No wonder the numbers have surged since the election.’
He added: ‘We need to leave the European Convention on Human Rights and deport all illegal immigrants within a week of arrival. Then the crossings would soon stop.’
Reform UK’s leader Nigel Farage said: ‘Smash the gangs is a complete disaster, the one in one out deal is a farce and the numbers coming over are huge.
‘Many of the young men that have arrived last year will do us great harm.’
The Home Office admitted: ‘The number of small boat crossings are shameful and the British people deserve better.’
But a spokesman insisted: ‘This Government is taking action. We have removed almost 50,000 people who were here illegally, and our historic deal with the French means those who arrive on small boats are now being sent back.
‘The Home Secretary has announced the most sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration in decades, removing the incentives that bring illegal migrants to the UK and scaling up the return of those with no right to be here.’
On the one in, one out deal, the spokesman said: ‘Under this landmark agreement, those who arrive on small boats are now being returned directly to France.
‘We are currently scaling up this pilot. As well as removing those who have arrived illegally, we are accepting applicants – subject to stringent security checks – through a new safe and legal route.’
Migrants arriving in Dover after being rescued by a Border Force vessel in December
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One in, one out migrant returns deal with France branded a joke as figures show Britain has accepted more people than it has sent back