Britain could face a significant diplomatic setback if it fails to secure a migration agreement with France during Emmanuel Macron's state visit, GB News Political Editor Christopher Hope has claimed.
Speaking about the French President's arrival in London, Christopher said: "It would be a snub, I think, if the UK can't get this agreed, it's been floated for quite a while now."
The proposed "one in, one out" deal has been under discussion for months as Sir Keir Starmer's Government seeks to address record Channel crossings.
Christopher explained: "This 'one in, one out' deal is about trying to deter people from making that dangerous journey across the English Channel.
The proposed "one in, one out" deal has been under discussion for month
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"The idea is that if you arrive illegally and have no right to be there, you will be returned to France.
"But the wider deal could be blocked by as many as five members of the European Union that’s why it’s so concerning."
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GB News host Martin Daubney added: "If France were to do a deal with the United Kingdom, it could mean that illegal immigrants would be deported back, not necessarily to France, but to the first country they entered. That could mean they end up being returned to Italy, Spain, Greece, or Cyprus.
"All of those countries have lodged complaints with the European Commission. That’s why they don’t want this deal to get off the ground.
"So it’s not an anti-British thing at all. It’s about protecting themselves from the influx of migrants, because they’re quite happy to usher them on."
The proposed agreement would allow Britain to return migrants arriving illegally by small boat to France, whilst accepting an identical number of asylum seekers from France in exchange.
Critics have dubbed the scheme a "migrant merry-go-round", though officials believe breaking the link between boarding a dinghy and reaching the UK could deter crossings.
The deal has encountered serious obstacles after Italy, Spain, Greece, Malta and Cyprus wrote to the European Commission expressing concerns.
In their letter, the five nations stated: "We take note with a degree of surprise of the reported intention of France to sign a bilateral readmission arrangement.
"If confirmed, such an initiative raises serious concerns for us, both procedurally and in terms of potential implications for other member states, particularly those of first entry."
Britain could face a significant diplomatic setback if it fails to secure a migration agreement with France
PAThey fear returned migrants could subsequently be sent back to their original EU entry points.
The pressure on Starmer has intensified with Channel crossings reaching unprecedented levels in 2025.
Home Office data reveals that 19,982 people arrived in the UK in the first six months of this year, the highest halfway point since records began in 2018.
In just the first week of July, more than 2,200 migrants crossed the Channel, representing a 48 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
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