Lee Anderson has blasted Labour’s new “one in one out” plan to stop illegal migrants arriving in boats by declaring only Reform UK “will end this madness”. Sir Keir Starmer’s new migrant returns deal with France came into effect on Tuesday, after the pilot agreement was signed with President Emmanuel Macron during a state visit last month.
Despite fears mounting that it will not deter asylum seekers crossing the Channel, Labour insists the plan is a “realistic, workable” way to tackle dangerous crossings, in contrast to the previous Rwanda scheme, which was scrapped due to legal and logistical setbacks. Under the deal, up to 50 people a week who arrive illegally via the Channel could be returned to France. In exchange, the UK will will receive the same number of migrants who have family members already in the UK.
However, shocking new analysis shows the UK and France will have to stop approximately 85% of attempted migrant crossings to dismantle the business model of people smugglers, officials believe.
This amounts to just one in 17 arrivals being returned under the pilot agreement should crossings continue at the current pace.
Poking fun at the plan Reform MP Lee Anderson jokingly said that it will teach migrants “not mess with the UK under Labour”.
His full tweet read: “17 in 1 out. That’ll teach ’em not to mess with the UK under Labour.
“Only Reform UK will end this madness”.
The new policy comes as the number of small boat crossings so far this year has exceeded 25,000, up 50% compared to last year, putting 2025 on track to set a new annual record.
Migrants who have previously attempted to cross the Channel will be ineligible under the scheme.
But asylum seekers that lodge human rights claims will be inadmissible, under the proposal.
The Treaty, published on Tuesday, states: “The United Kingdom confirms that at the time of their transfer that person will not have an outstanding human rights claim (which shall include a Third Country National with a human rights claim that has been certified under United Kingdom law as clearly unfounded).”
It comes after French warships escorted migrant dinghies across the English Channel hours before Sir Starmer insisted his returns deal with Emmanuel Macron would be a “deterrent”.