𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Lee Anderson has vowed that a Reform government would “march” into the Home Office and make the “invasion” of Britain “a problem of the past”. The Reform MP made the comments in response to Shabana Mahmood hailing the “milestone” of more than 100 migrants being returned under the Government’s “one in, one out” deal with France.

The Home Secretary said that 113 people who arrived by small boat have been deported in two months, with 84 arriving here by legal routes in return so far. But more than 8,000 people have arrived in the country on small boats since the first person was flown back on September 18. Responding to the figures, Mr Anderson said: “A milestone worth celebrating would be secure borders and mass deportations.

“Labour have done nothing to dissuade illegal migrants from entering and have instead done everything to incentivise it: free hotels, free clothes, and warm meals.

“A Reform government will march into the Home Office and make the invasion of this country a problem of the past.”

The deal with France, which was announced by Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron in the summer, aims to deter anyone thinking about making the perilous journey across the English Channel, by introducing the risk they will simply end up back where they just left.

There have been two high-profile incidents of people making the crossing for a second time after being returned to France.

Ms Mahmood said the latest “milestone” should send the message to those crossing in small boats: “If you enter the UK illegally, we will remove you as quickly as possible”.

She added: “We are ramping up action to tackle these unacceptable crossings and remove and deport those with no right to be here.

“We want to go further and faster to scale up these removals, but this shows our scheme is working. I will do whatever it takes to secure our borders.”

The 84 people who have arrived in the UK have come from places such as Vietnam, Afghanistan and Syria.

They speak with French officials who assess whether their claim for asylum is genuine, before being brought over for assessment by the British asylum system.

The current total of 113 does not include the man who was returned to France under the scheme on October 16 and took a small boat back to the UK on November 9.