The UK’s migrant swap agreement with France has now seen 75 people sent back across the Channel, while 51 vetted asylum seekers have travelled to Britain legally under the

same arrangement.

The pilot scheme, which began in August, is designed to discourage people from making the dangerous small-boat journey to the UK. Under the plan, anyone who arrives by small boat can be detained and returned to France, and in return the UK accepts an equal number of asylum seekers who have applied through safe and legal routes.

The first removals took place in September. The Home Office confirmed that another 20 people were flown back to France this week, following 13 deportations the week before.

Ministers say the aim is simple: reduce Channel crossings by making clear that arriving by small boat will not lead to a right to remain. UK law classifies such crossings as illegal, although international law protects the right to seek asylum regardless of how someone reaches a country.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer insists the scheme is “working” and remains “on course” to bring down crossing numbers. But the government faced embarrassment last week when it emerged that one man who had been sent back to France had crossed the Channel again. According to reports, he claimed he feared persecution in France, prompting him to return to the UK. Officials say they are now attempting to remove him a second time.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch seized on the incident, accusing the government of being “in total chaos”.

A Home Office spokesperson defended the approach, saying: “For many years, illegal migrants entered our country with no consequence. These returns send a warning: if you come here by small boat, you can be sent back. We are scaling up removals and will do whatever it takes to secure our borders.”

So far this year, 36,954 people have crossed the Channel in small boats—already surpassing last year’s total of 36,818. French authorities say they have stopped more than 17,600 attempted departures.

With growing political scrutiny over the use of hotels to house asylum seekers, the government also announced plans to move people into military barracks instead.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp argued that the current scheme is nowhere near tough enough, pointing out that only a small number of migrants have been removed compared with nearly 16,000 arrivals since the deal was unveiled. “This is clearly no deterrent at all,” he said. Photo by ukhomeoffice, Wikimedia commons.