Keir Starmer’s flagship plan to tackle the small-boats crisis is in jeopardy following EU objections.

The Prime Minister had planned to use a summit with Emmanuel Macron this week to sign a new ‘one in, one out’ deal with France which would have allowed the Government to return some of the migrants crossing the Channel illegally.

But Whitehall sources have played down the prospect of a breakthrough this week following an intervention by the European Commission.

The move is a serious blow for the Prime Minister who is desperate to show that he is getting to grips with the crisis following record crossings this year.

In the first six months of 2025, more than 20,000 migrants arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel illegally – a 48 per cent rise on the previous year and the highest level of crossings ever. In the last week alone, more than 2,200 migrants have arrived.

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.

Ministers have been in talks with their French counterparts for months about a ‘one in, one out deal’ which would see the UK send back Channel migrants in return for taking an identical number of asylum seekers from France.

Critics have ridiculed the idea as a ‘migrant merry-go-round’.

Keir Starmer had planned to use a summit with Emmanuel Macron this week to sign a new ‘one in, one out’ deal with France which would have allowed the Government to return some of the migrants crossing the Channel illegally

A group of migrants on an inflatable dinghy leave the coast of northern France in an attempt to cross the English Channel to reach Britain, from the beach of Petit-Fort-Philippe in Gravelines, near Calais, France, July 2, 2025

French police try to stop a group of migrants as they walk on the beach in an attempt to get on an inflatable dinghy to cross the English Channel to reach Britain, from the beach of Petit-Fort-Philippe in Gravelines, near Calais, France, July 2, 2025

But officials believe that by breaking the link between boarding a dinghy in France and a new life in the UK, the idea has the potential to act as the first deterrent to those crossing the Channel illegally since Sir Keir scrapped the Tories’ Rwanda deportation scheme in his first act in power last year.

Sir Keir had hoped to announce a deal at a UK-France summit on Thursday following Mr Macron’s state visit to the UK, which begins tomorrow. 

The Home Office had planned to launch a pilot scheme later this year.

But government sources say the talks have been thrown off course by an intervention from Brussels.

Although EU member states retain control of national immigration policy, responsibility for the EU’s Schengen Area border system lies with the European Commission.

Some member states have objected to the Commission about the Anglo-French scheme over concerns that any migrants returned to France could then be sent back to the country where they first entered the EU.

In a letter to the Commission, Italy, Spain, Greece, Malta and Cyprus said: ‘We take note – with a degree of surprise – of the reported intention of France to sign a bilateral readmission arrangement. If confirmed, such an initiative raises serious concerns for us, both procedurally and in terms of potential implications for other member states, particularly those of first entry.’

The letter, leaked to the Financial Times, urged Brussels to ensure that there were no ‘direct or indirect consequences’ for other member states before signing off any deal. Government sources last night confirmed that discussions with the Commission were now under way.

One insider said ministers were ‘making progress’ but added: ‘I don’t think there will be a big reveal this week.’

Government sources say the talks have been thrown off course by an intervention from Brussels

A group of migrants on an inflatable dinghy leave the coast of northern France in an attempt to cross the English Channel to reach Britain, from the beach of Petit-Fort-Philippe in Gravelines, near Calais, France, July 2

Some member states have objected to the Commission about the Anglo-French scheme over concerns that any migrants returned to France could then be sent back to the country where they first entered the EU

Ministers hope Mr Macron will commit to a new ‘maritime doctrine’ to stop migrants leaving French shores

A woman and her child walks with a group of migrants on the beach to reach an inflatable dinghy in an attempt to cross the English Channel to reach Britain, at the beach of Petit-Fort-Philippe in Gravelines, near Calais, France, July 2, 2025

Mr Philp told the Mail: ‘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.’ Sir Keir is expected to focus on encouraging Mr Macron to roll out new tactics allowing the French police to intervene to stop migrant boats while they are in shallow water.

Ministers hope Mr Macron will commit to a new ‘maritime doctrine’ to stop migrants leaving French shores. They have been infuriated by TV footage showing police standing by while migrants board dinghies.

But Downing Street was encouraged by an incident on Friday in which officers used knives to slash an inflatable on a beach south of Boulogne.

No 10 said the intervention – the first of its kind – was a ‘significant moment’. However, French authorities suggested it was a one-off, carried out due to concerns that the boat was in trouble after its motor stalled.