Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) is set to hold crucial talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz this week as the Prime Minister branded illegal migration "a global problem" requiring international cooperation.
Writing in the Sunday Express, Sir Keir said Mr Merz's visit will include discussions on "what more we can do together to prosecute criminal networks and prevent people smuggling to the UK". The Prime Minister emphasised that criminal gangs operate across multiple countries and legal systems with no respect for borders.
Channel crossings continue despite deal
Despite signing a landmark agreement with French President Emmanuel Macron just days earlier, 353 people crossed the English Channel by small boat on Friday. This followed 573 crossings on Thursday, marking the first such journeys in a week.
More crossings were witnessed on Saturday, though official figures have yet to be published. Border Force vessels and the RNLI responded to multiple incidents on both Thursday and Friday, according to HM Coastguard.
New returns agreement with France
Under the deal agreed between Sir Keir and Mr Macron, the UK will be able to send migrants back to France for the first time in exchange for asylum seekers with links to Britain. The "one in, one out" arrangement is due to begin on a pilot basis within weeks, pending final legal verification from the EU.
Downing Street expects EU support for the arrangement, despite concerns among some European governments about migrants potentially returning to their territory. French officials indicated the pilot could initially be limited to about 50 people per week, a fraction of this year's weekly average of 782.
Record year for crossings predicted
Sir Keir wrote that the deal represents "serious, practical solutions to global problems", promising Britain will accept genuine asylum seekers whilst deterring illegal crossings. He warned that people attempting illegal crossings "will soon find themselves back where they started".
At least 21,000 people have already made the journey since January, putting 2025 on course to be a record year for Channel crossings. The Prime Minister stressed that tackling the issue requires going "further to tackle this shared issue together" with international partners.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
