So the ‘one in, one out’ deal is dead. Quelle surprise – as the French might say. Since the initiative was launched on 2 August last year, approximately 1,500 people have been returned to France and a similar number sent in the other direction. In the same period, more than 40,000 migrants have crossed the Channel illegally in boats of varying size.

According to reports, Britain was keen to continue the arrangement whereby the Home Office returns one illegal immigrant in exchange for accepting a legitimate asylum seeker. France was not and the deal officially expires today.

Paris wants what is described as an ‘EU-wide returns scheme’ rather than one arranged with Britain. Perhaps Andy Burnham will use the collapse of the deal as one more reason why Britain should rejoin the EU. Emmanuel Macron would like nothing more than to see Britain commit to rejoining the bloc. No European leader has berated the Brits as much as the French president for having had the temerity to leave the EU.

There........

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