Downing Street said it expects to “make good progress” by working on a small boat across the channel during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to the UK.
The issue is a key point in discussions during Macron’s state visit, saying on Tuesday the government hopes to allow French police to “operate immediately” before the boat reaches open water.
A spokesman for the prime minister refused to say whether “one, one” immigrant will be agreed upon during the French president’s visit.
However, the spokesman said months of negotiations between Prime Minister Kiel and Macron have been “bearing fruit.”
“We are constantly speaking and are in constant contact with the French people about how our joint actions will progress and how to end the misery these gangs are inflicting across our borders,” the spokesman added.
The Prime Minister is pressing him to deal with “one person, one person,” who deals with the central presence of a new agreement with France.
The arrangement allows the UK to return migrants who have arrived in France on a small boat in exchange for accepting asylum seekers with family ties in the UK.
The aim is to show those considering the dangerous intersection where they can go straight back in France, in the hopes that this will stop them.
However, such exchanges must occur in sufficient numbers to be effective deterrents.
Getting this kind of deal would be a major breakthrough as it will be the first clear indication of France’s willingness to regain immigration beyond the channel.
However, the optimism on the UK side of the deal agreed this week is entitled to a great deal.
Downing Street is undergoing separate consultations from the European Commission to overcome opposition to dealing from a group of five Mediterranean countries forced to accept those deported from the UK.
Ir Kiel also asks France to amend the rules to allow police to intervene when the boat is in shallow water rather than requiring that it be on land.
Last week, the BBC witnessed a French officer drilling holes in an inflatable boat after it was launched with a clear change in tactics using a knife.
Asked about the tactics, a Downing Street spokesman said:
“We are the first government to secure an agreement from France to review their maritime tactics so that border enforcement teams can intervene in shallow waters.
“This is operationally legally complicated, but we work closely with the French.”
Since taking power last July, Labour has announced a series of measures to tackle people’s smuggling, including a new criminal offence that puts others at risk at sea.
The legislation passing through Congress sets out plans to use terrorist power against people’s smugglers, suspects facing travel bans, social media blackouts and phone restrictions.
However, the latest figure has already set new records of the arrival of small boats in the first six months of the year since the data was first collected in 2018.
Between January and June, almost 20,000 people arrived in the UK by crossing the English Channel on small boats, an increase of 48% over the same period over 2024.
The UK repeatedly pushed France to tighten patrols along the north coast. Since 2018, the UK has pledged more than £700 million to France to boost coastal patrols and buy surveillance equipment.
Most of this came from a 2023 contract struck under previous conservative government. France gave nearly £500 million in three years, heading to the extra officers to help stop migrants crossing the channel on small boats.
Asked if the UK should request a refund, as proposed by conservatives, a Downing Street spokesman said “under this government we have secured a significant increase in operational capacity from French law enforcement.”
