The UK and France have scrapped a pilot programme aimed at curbing the number of people crossing the English Channel in small boats to migrate to Britain. The "one in, one out" deal, agreed in 2025 by former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, allowed for the detention and return of people who arrived in the UK after making the Channel crossing in exchange for an equivalent number of asylum seekers who applied through a safe and legal route.
The deal was part of a post-Brexit reset in Paris-London ties, aimed at easing tensions between the neighbours over migrant flows. However, UK Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood acknowledged in parliament that the deal had "not been without its challenges" and "the numbers are still relatively small". The deal had initially set a target of 2,600 exchanges and was earmarked to last for three years.
According to Home Office data, some 1,117 asylum seekers came to the UK from France from August 2025 to June 2026, while 1,087 were deported. Despite the deal being scrapped, deportation flights will continue in the coming weeks for those who have already been detained. The Home Office said it continues to work with France to "relentlessly tackle small boat crossings" and has made "real progress" in this area.
The number of people making the Channel crossing has fallen sharply this year, with 19,135 people having crossed from France so far in 2026, down 42 percent year-on-year. The decline is attributed to increased police patrols and enhanced surveillance in northern France. However, the danger involved in these crossings was highlighted on Monday when a 10-year-old child and two women died, apparently trampled to death on a boat packed with over 100 people.
At least 22 people have died this year trying to cross the Channel, according to an AFP tally based on official French and British sources. In a related case, a French court on Wednesday sentenced six men to between six and 10 years in prison over the deaths of at least 31 people in the Channel in November 2021. The court described the tragedy as caused by "individuals driven by greed, with utter disregard for human life".
The scrapping of the deal comes after French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham held talks in September, during which Burnham pressed Macron to keep the deal alive. However, Paris was reportedly in a hurry to end the cooperation on controlling migrant flows. The UK's Home Office said the decision to scrap the deal was made as it was "no longer processing new cases".
The UK and France are continuing to work together to tackle small boat crossings, with the Home Office stating that "real progress" has been made in this area. While the "one in, one out" deal is no longer in operation, the two countries remain committed to finding a solution to the issue of migrant flows across the Channel.
Key points
- The UK-France 'one in, one out' migrant exchange deal, aimed at curbing Channel crossings, has been scrapped.
- The deal had processed 1,117 asylum seekers from France to the UK and deported 1,087 people in exchange.
- The number of Channel crossings has fallen sharply this year, with a 42 percent year-on-year decline.
