First France migration flight stalled after legal challenge, reports suggest

The first flight carrying Channel migrants back to France under Sir Keir Starmer’s “one in, one out” deal has not taken place as planned, according to reports.

The Times and Telegraph reported that a small group of migrants were removed from a Monday Air France flight due to travel from Heathrow to Paris after a legal challenge.

The passenger flight went ahead without any migrants on board, according to The Times, and is one of several throughout the week on which the Home Office has booked seats for migrants.

A Government source said the first deportation flights under the deal with France are expected to take place this week.

Earlier on Monday, skills minister Baroness Jacqui Smith refused to say how many people will be returned to France this week under the deal.

The French are reported to have said they will only be accepting a small initial contingent of deportations.

Ministers have previously said the scheme will ramp up the number of deportations over time.

The pilot scheme will see the UK send back to France asylum seekers who have crossed the Channel, in exchange for those who apply and are approved to come to Britain.

Reports suggest formal removal directions have been issued to those who arrived in the UK on small boats last month, telling them they will be deported within five days.

The number of migrants arriving in the UK after crossing the English Channel has topped 30,000 for the year so far.

It is the earliest point in a calendar year at which the 30,000 mark has been passed since data on the crossings was first reported in 2018.