The United Kingdom's Labour government said on Tuesday it wants "long-term value for money" as it seeks to renew a 2023 migration deal with France set to expire next week.
In March 2023, London agreed to pay Paris £476 million (around €520 million) over three years to crack down on migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats.
The then-Conservative government said the money would fund a new detention centre in France, and hundreds of extra law enforcement officers on French shores.
Discussions to renew the deal "continue", Prime Minister Keir Starmer's official spokesman said on Tuesday, refusing to put a timeline on when they might conclude.
"We're building flexibility and innovation into any new deal with the French to ensure there's long-term value for money and a real impact on small boat crossings," he told reporters.
UK struggles to reduce migrant crossings after near-record in 2025
The spokesman said that the neighbours were "united in wanting to stop" the crossings, which have risen in recent years.
Almost 42,000 migrants landed on England's southern coast in 2025 – the second-highest annual number since records began in 2018.
Starmer, in power since July 2024, and his Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood are under pressure to reduce numbers, as the anti-immigration Reform UK party leads national opinion polls.
The government recently reduced protections for refugees and is withdrawing certain support from asylum seekers, angering charities and some Labour MPs, who worry the party is shedding left-wing voters.
Legal advice and translation lacking in UK–France migrant returns deal
Late last year, the UK and France launched a separate "one in, one out" returns deal.
As of early last month, 305 people had been returned to France and 367 people have arrived in the UK under the pilot scheme, according to UK officials.
(with AFP)
