Record Channel crossings test Britain's France deal as protests flare in Europe

More than 1,000 migrants crossed the English Channel in small boats on Friday, as 1,072 people made the dangerous crossing in 13 boats according to Home Office figures. The total for 2025 now stands at 32,103, a record for this point in the year. The latest figure comes as Labour ministers pressed ahead with their flagship reciprocal deal with France, widely billed as a deterrent to small-boat crossings but which critics say has yet to bite.

Under the terms of the agreement, the United Kingdom can return asylum seekers who arrived by small boats to France in exchange for an equivalent number of asylum seekers who entered the UK through legal routes. On Friday, a third asylum seeker was returned to France, an Iranian national, while an Eritrean man was deported earlier in the day after losing a High Court bid to delay removal and another Indian national was sent back on Thursday. Officials said the first flights under the reciprocal component of the deal could take place later this week. A government source said the returns were expected to be at or near parity, given the structure of the deal. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy hailed the returns as providing an “immediate deterrent,” while Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp dismissed the effect as “pathetic” and criticized the boasting over the numbers.

Ministers have signaled their intention to increase the scale of returns under the deal in the coming months, amid continued public concern about the rising number of crossings. The government has also highlighted that the deal could widen the pool of people who can be removed from the UK when a reciprocal flow is established, though opposition voices argue that the policy has not slowed the crossings to date.

The financial implications of Friday’s crossings are significant. Estimates suggest the cost to taxpayers could approach £43 million in a single year once housing, food, healthcare, legal aid, education and other benefits are taken into account. Local councils can also provide grants of about £1,200 per asylum seeker to cover incidental expenses, a practice that has drawn scrutiny from critics who argue that some programs include nonessential perks such as swimming lessons or cooking classes. In 2024, processing times for initial asylum applications averaged about 413 days, leaving new claimants dependent on state support for well over a year. Separately, a voluntary scheme that pays failed asylum seekers £3,000 to leave Britain has drawn heavy criticism; between 2021 and 2024, roughly 13,600 people took part, costing about £40.9 million.

In London, tensions over migration spilled onto the streets outside a hotel in Canary Wharf where anti-migrant demonstrators faced anti-racism protesters. Police estimated up to 500 participants, and there were no arrests reported.

In Gravelines, France, officers on a nearby beach mocked the idea that the UK-France deal would deter crossings. They said that at current levels, the plan would have little effect, and suggested a broader retraining of expectations would be required. The officers noted that the equipment used by French police to deter crossings had been funded by the UK and that the visit of the British ambassador to France, Thomas Drew, had been aimed at inspecting the joint operation. They described themselves as reserve officers rotating through the region as part of a major effort to prevent crossings, with a police helicopter overhead and no migrants seen on the beach that morning. The remarks were reported by The Mail on Sunday as part of ongoing coverage of the issue.

Separately, in The Netherlands, Dutch police faced large anti-immigration demonstrations in The Hague. Tear gas and water cannon were deployed to disperse the crowd after protesters blocked a major highway and hurled rocks and bottles. About 30 people were arrested and two officers were injured. Prime Minister Dick Schoof condemned the violence as shocking and unacceptable, while far-right leader Geert Wilders, who did not attend the protest, likewise denounced the violence. The protests followed a broader Dutch political crisis that culminated in the collapse of the governing coalition earlier this year, driven in part by migration policy disputes. The damage extended to the offices of the center-left D66 party, though officials said no party members were present at the time of the incident.

The government has insisted that the policy remains a work in progress, with officials stressing the need to increase returns while maintaining humane treatment of claimants. Critics argue the numbers on a single day show the scale of the challenge and question whether a deterrent can be achieved through removals alone. Supporters say the policy can help reduce incentives to attempt the crossing if returns are consistent and predictable over time.

Looking ahead, officials say the first flights carrying asylum seekers from France to the UK under the reciprocal component of the deal are expected to occur later this week. The government has indicated it will pursue further implementation of the arrangement despite mixed public and political reception, arguing that even partial deterrence could contribute to long-term containment of small-boat crossings. As the debate continues, Europe remains preoccupied with migration pressures and the political volatility they provoke across borders, from the Channel to the Netherlands and beyond.