Boat crossings have increased sharply since Britain formally left the EU, rising from 1,843 people making the journey in 2019 to 28,526 in 2021 and 45<\/p>\n
Emmanuel Macron blamed Brexit for a rise in the number of small boats crossing the Channel, as he and Sir Keir Starmer announced a new \u201cone in, one out\u201d deal to return migrants.<\/p>\n
In a joint press conference with the Prime Minister on Thursday, the French president said the British people had been \u201csold a lie\u201d that leaving the EU would \u201cmake it possible to fight more effectively against illegal immigration\u201d.<\/p>\n
Pointing to the fact that the UK had \u201cno migratory deal\u201d with the EU after Brexit, Mr Macron said: \u201cIt creates an incentive to make the crossing, the precise opposite of what Brexit had promised.\u201d<\/p>\n
His comments came at the end of a three-day state visit, during which he and Sir Keir agreed a landmark deal to return people arriving in the UK via small boats in exchange for people still in France who had a connection to Britain.<\/p>\n
Mr Macron also hailed previous success in preventing illegal crossings of the Channel by road and rail prior to Brexit.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cLet\u2019s recall a few years ago, it was the subject of daily comments. We managed to fully close off these routes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Boat crossings have increased sharply since Britain formally left the EU, rising from 1,843 people making the journey in 2019 to 28,526 in 2021 and 45,774 in 2022.<\/p>\n
So far this year, 21,117 people have made the crossing, with more arriving on Thursday as 2025 looks set to be a record year for arrivals.<\/p>\n
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage spent Thursday in the Channel observing small boats crossing from France.<\/p>\n
\nThis agreement is a humiliation for Brexit Britain. We have acted today as an EU member and bowed down to an arrogant French President.<\/p>\n