A family of three, including a young child, has become the first group to arrive in the UK from France under Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s new “one in, one out” immigration agreement with President Emmanuel Macron.
The move follows the deportation of four asylum seekers from the UK to France over the past week, despite ongoing legal battles.
Under the July agreement, the UK returns Channel arrivals in exchange for accepting an equal number of asylum seekers in France who have family links to Britain.
So far, three men from Afghanistan, Eritrea and Iran, along with an Indian national, have been removed. A fifth man from Eritrea has temporarily blocked his deportation after a high court ruling, with judges rejecting the Home Office’s attempt to appeal.
The Home Office described the family’s arrival as a “critical first step,” pledging continued removals of small boat arrivals while operating secure legal routes with France.
The development comes amid political pressure, with former US President Donald Trump urging Starmer to call out the military to stop small boats. Business Secretary Peter Kyle has since confirmed the Royal Navy could be deployed if needed.
Meanwhile, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has ordered a review into claims that asylum seekers in hotels are being transported to medical appointments by taxi at high cost.
One reported journey cost £600. Mahmood has directed the Home Office to investigate the scale of the spending.
More than 32,000 people have crossed the Channel this year, including over 1,000 last Friday alone.
