Keir Starmer revealed in a press conference that the UK is to begin a 'pilot scheme' with France to return migrants
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Nigel Farage has been left furious at the new "one in, one out" migrant deal announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer today.
The Reform UK leader responded to the joint press conference by stating "this is Brexit Britain" and claimed "we should turn back every boat" with no exceptions.
Starmer, together with French President Emmanuel Macron, revealed the UK is to begin a "pilot scheme" with France, which will see us return illegal immigrants in exchange for "genuine asylum seekers".
The scheme will be implemented in the coming weeks, with the Prime Minister confirming that only those who have not previously attempted to enter the UK illegally will be eligible for the legal route.
Nigel Farage fumed at the deal
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"In exchange for every return, a different individual will be allowed to come here via a safe route, controlled and legal, subject to strict security checks and only open to those who have not tried to enter the UK illegally," the Prime Minister stated today.
Responding, Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage said: "I don't believe it'll work. I believe the numbers will be very limited indeed.
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"Even if it did work, where's the advantage to us? This is Brexit Britain. We voted to take back control of our borders, not to accept a deal given to us by a French President."
He added: "Nobody who crosses the English Channel illegally in a boat should ever be given refugee status, should ever be given leave to remain and should be deported. And if we did that, it would stop within a fortnight."
"Just look at the Australians. They did it back in 2012. They had the same problem. In the end, they towed the boats back to Indonesia. The trade stopped."
A BBC reporter asked the MP: "If you were just turning the boats around, turning them back to France, how would that work without a deal with the French?"
Keir Starmer announced the deal today
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Farage responded: "Oh, they'd be very upset. But I think what we're facing here is a national security emergency.
"Just look at the facts. Three Iranian terrorists arrested within the last few weeks who came across the channel by boat.
"The Casey report said that sexual violence and crime has to be linked to those that come to Britain illegally.
"And now the fact that people who come here illegally are 25 times more likely to get into prison, and what this tells you is this route is bringing the wrong kind of people."
WATCH IN FULL - Keir Starmer announces one in, one out migrant plan
The Reform leader explained: "We will stop it by leaving the ECHR, by getting the right to deport. That will work. If it doesn't, in the end, we'll take the boats back to France."
The Prime Minister said the arrangement would demonstrate to others that attempting the dangerous Channel crossing would be "in vain".
He added: "This will show others trying to make the same journey that it will be in vain, and the jobs they have been promised in the UK will no longer exist because of the nationwide crackdown we're delivering on illegal working, which is on a completely unprecedented scale."