UK migrant crossings surge as France returns continue under pilot deal

More than a thousand people crossed the English Channel in small boats on Friday, according to Home Office figures, as the government carried out a third return to France under the reciprocal deal. A total of 1,072 migrants arrived in 13 boats, underscoring the scale of the challenge for Sir Keir Starmer's government as it grapples with the crisis at the border.

The Friday crossings pushed the 2025 total to 32,103, a record for this point in the year. Ministers say the 'one in, one out' arrangement with France is meant to deter migrants by signalling they will be sent back if they attempt the Channel crossing. The three returns on Friday included an Iranian man who was returned to France, following earlier removals of an Eritrean man and an Indian national.

Officials noted the results of the policy would be evaluated over time, but Friday's volume suggested the deterrent effect had yet to materialize on the ground. The scale of crossings emphasizes the policy's immediate political test as Labour seeks to balance border control with humanitarian obligations.

Flights carrying asylum seekers from France to the UK under the reciprocal aspect of the deal are expected to take place next week. While officials would not comment on exact numbers, a Home Office source said the returns were expected to be at or near parity with those removed, reflecting the pilot's design.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said the returns provided an 'immediate deterrent' to people seeking to cross the Channel. Labour's Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticized the scheme, arguing there was no deterrent effect and labeling the number of returns as 'pathetic.' Home Office sources emphasized that these were forcible returns and noted comparisons with the previous government’s Rwanda arrangement, which Labour scrapped.

Beyond the Channel policy, Starmer is expected to unveil plans to introduce digital identification cards for people living in the UK at the Labour conference later this month. The Financial Times reported that Labour is exploring digital IDs as part of a broader overhaul to immigration and asylum rules, potentially covering employment verification and housing arrangements. Details were still being worked out, and officials warned the scope could be narrowed or revised.

Starmer has signaled that digital IDs could play an important part in making Britain less attractive to illegal migrants, a stance critics say could lead to privacy concerns or overbroad checks. The government faces pressure to curb record migrant arrivals while addressing the strain of housing tens of thousands of asylum seekers, a challenge the PM has framed as part of a wider reform of the system.

The policy framework allows for the detention and return of people who arrive by small boat in exchange for an equivalent number who apply through safe and legal routes. The government says the deal with France is intended to create a tangible enforcement mechanism, even as it draws scrutiny from opposition parties and civil society groups. The broader immigration debate remains central to Labour's early tenure, with digital IDs presented as a potentially transformative, if controversial, element of the party's plan to modernize border control and residency rules.

As the Channel crossings continue to test policy, officials say more updates will come as next week's flights unfold and as the Labour conference outlines further steps in the party's approach to migration, housing, and national identity. The evolving mix of deterrence, deportations, and digital governance will shape the debate in the weeks ahead as the government seeks to demonstrate both security and fairness in its handling of asylum and immigration.