PM denies small boat plans are ‘in tatters’ as ministers urge new French tactics

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted his approach to tackling small boats crossing the Channel remains on course despite an Iranian man re-entering the UK after being returned to France.

The Prime Minister said the man, who now claims to be a victim of modern slavery, would be “fast-tracked back out of the country”.

He told broadcasters: “We know he hasn’t got a claim to make, therefore we’ll remove him very, very swiftly.

“So his return journey back to United Kingdom is completely pointless, and it’s really important I make that absolutely clear.”

The man had been returned from the UK to France in September under the “one in, one out” deal struck over the summer, but came back across the Channel in a small boat a month later.

Sir Keir also denied that the Government’s approach to stopping small boats was “in tatters”, while earlier, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said the identification and detention of the Iranian man was a sign of “progress”.

But questions continue to surround the Government’s engagement with France on the issue amid continued delays to French police adopting new tactics to deal with boats in shallow waters.

France has previously said it would change its maritime rules to allow police to intervene when boats are in shallow water, rather than requiring them still to be on land.

And over the summer, footage emerged of police officers slashing an inflatable boat with a knife after it had left the French shore.

But since then the change appears to have stalled, with the BBC reporting that Paris was backing away from the deal, citing French sources.

Last week, head of Border Security Command Martin Hewitt told MPs it was “frustrating” that it had taken time to implement the new rules, and said he had travelled to France a few weeks ago to “press the point” about the importance of changing tactics.

A Downing Street spokesman said on Thursday: “We will continue to work closely with the French as they review their maritime doctrine, which will allow officers to intervene in shallow waters, and we want to see the earliest possible deployment of these new tactics.”

Sir Keir is expected to speak to French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday to discuss efforts to support Ukraine, but Downing Street did not deny that he could also raise the issue of small boats during the call.

The spokesman added: “The focus is on delivering for people and delivering the priorities of the British people, and we will continue to work closely with France. They are a critical partner in tackling illegal migration.”

Earlier, Mr Lammy had said Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood would be “working with her French colleagues” to make sure the rule changes were implemented.

The brewing row with France comes as the number of people crossing the Channel in small boats this year reached 36,954 – more than the 36,818 arrivals recorded in the whole of 2024.

Analysis of the figures by the PA news agency showed crossings were 30% higher than at this point in 2024 and 41% higher than in 2023, but 2% lower than at this stage in the record year of 2022.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Labour’s policy on small boats had been “shown to be farcical, with the migrants simply getting back on boats and coming here”.

She told broadcasters on Thursday: “We need a proper deterrent, and we also need to leave the ECHR (European Convention on Human Rights).”