Matt Vickers blasts 'boomerang scheme' as Labour stands by 'one in, one out'

He added that suggestions of payments for those returned make the situation even worse.

This comes after a migrant who was deported under Labour's one in, one out scheme returned to Britain on a small boat earlier this week.

Speaking to to GB News, Mr Vickers said: "The only way to solve this problem is with a real deterrent.

"People need to know that if they get on those boats, they will not be allowed to stay in this country. That’s what the Rwanda scheme was about.

"We don’t care whether it’s Rwanda or elsewhere people need to be sent home, or to a third country. If we don’t do that, they will continue to come."

He also criticised Labour and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying: "The Prime Minister opposed the deportation of foreign criminals and voted against every measure to toughen up our immigration system.

"He even said immigration law was ‘racist in nature.’ No wonder our borders are in chaos and taxpayers are picking up the tab."

It comes after Shabana Mahmood, who took office last month, said the Home Office had been "set up to fail" but said she was working to rebuild it so it "delivers for this country".

The current Anglo-French deal is designed to deter illegal Channel crossings by allowing the UK to send back migrants arriving in small boats, while taking an equal number of asylum seekers who enter legally.

Since the agreement came into effect in early August, more than 10,000 people have crossed the Channel illegally and only 42 have been returned to France.

In return, Britain has accepted just 23 migrants from mainland Europe. Ministers now hope to expand the scheme to include three other Western European countries, despite its limited success so far.

The extension of the deal was first initiated under Yvette Cooper, now Foreign Secretary, when she served as Home Secretary. She is understood to be assisting with the ongoing negotiations.

The bilateral deal with France was initially established to demonstrate a “proof of concept” before Yvette Cooper, now Foreign Secretary, was expected to push for the wider Calais Group agreement, according to Home Office sources.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "The Home Secretary has said she will do whatever it takes to restore order to our border.

"We continue to work closely with European partners on innovative solutions to tackle illegal immigration."

Speaking to GB News, Robert Bates, Director of the Centre for Migration Control Research, said the returns deal with France is "in chaos."