Yvette Cooper doesn’t say how many small boat migrants will be sent back to France as she admits ‘no silver bullet’

The scheme emerged from Anglo-French cooperation talks that also covered nuclear weapons cooperation. Despite calling it groundbreaking, Cooper acknowledged the arrangement's limitations when discussing whether it would reduce Channel crossings.

Cooper explained the rationale behind the lack of specific targets: "It's been reached because for the last six or seven years, while we've had this small boats chaos underway, no one has been returned to France. It's not been possible to return anyone to France."

She emphasised the significance of the development: "This means for the first time, we will be returning people who have arrived on these dangerous small boats. I think, frankly, that's the right principle. It's the right thing to do."

When pressed further on numbers, Cooper stated: "We will start operationalising it. We will build and expand it. The numbers will vary from week to week and we will do that step by step.

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That's why we're not fixing the numbers at this point. This will be covered by the pilot."

The "one-in, one-out" arrangement allows both countries to manage migration flows, though Cooper admitted there is "no silver bullet" for addressing Channel crossings.

When asked if she could guarantee a decline in migrant numbers making the perilous journey, she responded: "Frankly, no one should be making these dangerous boat trips across the Channel."

Cooper outlined the government's broader approach: "Of course, we set out as part of our plan for change our determination to reduce the number of these dangerous boat crossings, to go after the criminal gang who are undermining our border security and putting lives a risk."

The Home Secretary stressed that tackling the issue requires multiple measures beyond just the returns arrangement with France.

Cooper explained that the returns arrangement forms part of a wider strategy: "We need to do that not just through the returns arrangement that we've set out yesterday, but also through the change that France has now committed to make to their maritime rules so they can intervene in French waters."

The agreement between the UK and France signals renewed post-Brexit cooperation between the two nations. The deal was reached on Thursday and aims to curb illegal crossings by boat.

Despite the new measures, Cooper could not guarantee a reduction in crossings. She acknowledged the complexity of the challenge whilst maintaining that targeting criminal gangs remains a priority alongside the new returns pilot and French maritime rule changes.