𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Labour’s plan to stop Channel migrant crossings suffered a double blow today (Friday) as ministers were accused of a “complete failure”.

Four more migrants deported to France under Keir Starmer’s “one in one out” scheme have returned to the UK.

The asylum seekers arrived in lorries over the past two weeks, it is understood.

And the UK border chief tasked with stopping small boats, Martin Hewitt, will quit after failing to bring down the number of arrivals.

The first two migrants were detected in lorries early in March, it is understood, while another two arrived on March 12.

Alarmingly for the Home Office, only two have been detained, with the others said to be living under the radar in London.

The migrants revealed how people smugglers are loitering outside a shelter in Paris for those returned to France after crossing the Channel on a small boat.

One of the two men in detention told The Guardian: “The smugglers know where the shelter is in Paris where people sleep in the first few days after being returned to France.

“They caught me near the shelter and sent me back to UK by force in a lorry. The smugglers have guns, they control everything, we have to try to stay alive.”

The second man who returned said he was also caught by smugglers close to the Paris shelter and forced back to the UK in a lorry. He was not caught on arrival in the UK but went to a police station to declare himself and was subsequently detained. “I don’t want to live illegally in any country,” he said. “I can’t survive without documentation. France is not safe for me.”

Some 377 small-boat migrants have been returned to France under the deal that was agreed by Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron last July.

This is just 2 per cent of the 18,790 migrants who have arrived on small boats since the one in, one out treaty came into effect in August.

The scheme descended into farce when a migrant returned to the UK by small boat in October. The Iranian had been deported in September.

A second migrant returned on November 8 on a small boat after being removed on October 16.

Hewitt took on the top job in October 2024 with 30 years’ experience across policing and crisis management.

Duncan Capps, former Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, is understood to be stepping into the role on an interim basis.

He is currently serving in another senior job within the Border Security Command.

An insider told The Sun: “There was a view that the objectives were not being met, and there needed to be a tighter, more defined operational focus.”

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “The government’s complete failure on small boats isn’t down to Martin Hewitt.

“It’s because Keir Starmer and Shabana Mahmood are too weak to take the necessary action – such as coming out of the ECHR and deporting all illegal immigrants within a week of arrival.

“Labour’s decision to cancel the Rwanda removals plan was a disaster – since the election 67,000 illegal immigrants have crossed the channel – an increase of 45% compared to the same period before.

“Martin Hewitt isn’t to blame for this – it’s down to Shabana Mahmood and Keir Starmer’s failings.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “France is our closest migration partner and through our joint work, 40,000 small boat crossing attempts have been stopped since this Government came into office. French maritime forces have agreed to intercept small boats on the water and our landmark agreement means those who arrive on small boats are now being sent back.

“Individuals who try to return are detected by biometrics, detained instantly and returned at the earliest opportunity, having wasted their time and money.”