Second 'one in, one out' deportation flight takes off with ZERO migrants on board in latest humiliation for Keir Starmer

Officials in the Home Office had hoped to deport migrants from Heathrow to Paris every day this week.

However, following challenges from lawyers and charity protests, no migrants have been flown out so far.

Empty seats were spotted on the flight that were thought to have been reserved for deportations as the Home Office later confirmed that there would not be any deportations for the rest of the day.

A campaign was launched by British and French charities to flood Air France with phone calls, emails and social media messages.

The charities had pleaded with the airliner "not to agree to collaborate with the interior ministry and not to agree to deport these people on these flights."

Proposals to fly a second migrant out today, Tuesday were also scrapped after his lawyers claimed his experience of being tortured and trafficked should prevent him from being returned to France.

Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones told Times Radio: "These deportations will be happening as soon as possible."

She added: "If I was to break down with you exactly a time-by-time, day-by-day movement on our returns policy, then that would be giving these abhorrent people smugglers exactly what they want.

"This would be allowing them to know what the government is doing when, and they would be able to respond to that.

"We are not going to be doing them any favours."

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Reacting to the failed flights, Reform UK's Head of Policy Zia Yusuf told GB News: "This is of no surprise to anyone.

"This Labour government is wasting taxpayers’ money on a completely hollow and unworkable scheme.

"Without leaving the ECHR, disapplying international treaties like the 1951 Refugee Convention and a total legal reset, no government will be able to get deportations off the ground.

"Only Reform UK recognise this and have set out a thought-out, fully costed plan to deport all illegal migrants."

Downing Street denied that the Government’s return deal with France was a shambles, or that its plans had been hampered by the courts, amid the reports.

Asked by reporters if the latest delay meant the deal was a shambles, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: "No."

The spokesman also denied that the latest postponement showed ministers were powerless in the face of the courts, adding: "As I said, we have never provided an operational running commentary on the details of the scheme."

The Government will provide an update on detentions as soon as possible, the spokesman said, insisting returns would take place "imminently."

France has reportedly said it will only accept a small initial contingent of deportations, while the UK has said it hopes to increase numbers over the course of the scheme in an effort to stop small boat crossings in the Channel.

Some 31,026 people have made the journey so far this year, a record number for this point in the year since data collection began in 2018.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said it was "extraordinary" that the first deportations under the Government’s returns deal with France were reportedly postponed.

Mrs Badenoch said: "This is exactly what I said would happen. Labour had a one in, one out deal with France.

"They failed to get anybody out, and we’re still taking in more people from France, so we’re still having net increase in immigration based on this deal.

"It is extraordinary that Labour are not able to deport one person. There was only one migrant on that flight."