Keir Starmer’s flagship plan to tackle the small-boats crisis is in jeopardy following EU objections, it is understood. The Prime Minister was set to announce a “one in, one out” agreement with France.
But Whitehall sources have played down the prospect of a breakthrough this week following an intervention by the European Commission. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said a failure to agree a returns deal with the French president would be ‘another international humiliation’ for the PM.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Mr Philp said: “Yet again, it looks like we are gearing up for another international humiliation for the PM.
“If he can’t even get a scheme where we pay the French half a billion pounds to wave the boats off from Calais for a migrant merry-go-round where the same number still come here, what hope do we have.
“He needs to get a grip. Unless all those arriving by small boat are sent back to France, we won’t stop the crossings.”
Under the deal, it is understood a percentage of asylum seekers will be returned to France on landing in Britain. Reports suggested the same number of applicants at an asylum processing centre in France will be accepted.
Sir Keir was hoping to make the migration announcement at a UK-France summit on Thursday following Mr Macron’s state visit to the UK, which begins on Tuesday.
The Home Office had planned to launch a pilot scheme later this year.
But government sources said the talks have been thrown off course by an intervention from Brussels.