UK, France seal ‘one in, one out’ migrant return deal, pilot to start ‘soon’
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron at a press conference in London on Thursday. Photograph: (Reuters)
Starmer said he and Macron have also signed a Northwood declaration, confirming that the UK and France are willing to coordinate their use of nuclear weapons. Macron said the nuclear weapons partnership deal is a response to “markedly more threatening environment”.
Britain has reached an agreement with France on a pilot programme to return migrants arriving in small boats, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron at a British military base in Northwood, northwest London, used by NATO as a command centre. “Migrants arriving via small boat will be detained and returned to France in short order,” Starmer said.
Announcing the “one in, one out” migration deal that will involve the UK accepting some cross-Channel asylum seekers but returning others to France, Starmer said that for every migrant returned, a different individual would be allowed “to come here via a safe route: controlled and legal, subject to strict security checks, and only open to those who have not tried to enter the UK illegally.”
‘Illegal migration is a global crisis’
Starmer said, “Illegal migration is a global crisis. But it is also ‘acutely’ a crisis for UK and France. An enterprise run by criminals is leading hundreds of people to their deaths in the Channel.”
The UK PM also thanked Macron for his support for the French police using tougher measures to stop boats leaving.
Hails ‘ground-breaking’ returns scheme, to begin ‘in weeks’
Starmer said he is pleased to announce an agreement on a “ground-breaking” returns scheme. He confirmed that pilot scheme will begin “in the coming weeks”. Macron said that France and the UK are taking steps to improve cooperation with countries of origins to dismantle people-smuggling gangs. Macron said that Brexit supporters were wrong to think leaving EU would make it easier for the UK government to stop small boats and tackle illegal migration.
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He added that the agreement reached on Thursday will come into effect as soon as the legal process is concluded, and emphasised that it could be a “major deterrent”.
Starmer and Macron sign Northwood declaration
Starmer said he and Macron have also signed a Northwood declaration, confirming that the UK and France are willing to coordinate their use of nuclear weapons.
Macron said the nuclear weapons partnership deal is a response to “markedly more threatening environment”.
Speaking about the nuclear weapons deal, Macron said this goes beyond what the two countries have agreed in the past on the use of nuclear weapons and that they cannot imagine any extreme threat to Europe that would not prompt a response from both powers.
The two countries are independent and sovereign but they will have the ability to work together given the “markedly more threatening environment” they face.
Earlier, Macron thanked King Charles for inviting him on a state visit and the "outstanding welcome" offered to his family. He added that the visit, the first by a French president in 17 years, recalls the strength of the Anglo-French alliance and a reset around "shared interests".
Macron also stressed the importance of defence and security co-operation, noting that times have changed in Europe and the UK-France partnership "must change accordingly".
He adds that both nations must confront a major conflict in Europe, referencing Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
