Brexit has been identified as a key factor influencing small boat crossings, according to testimony provided to MPs. Individuals entering the country unlawfully have expressed their reluctance to be sent back under the Dublin Convention, which previously allowed the UK to return asylum seekers to the EU. Meghan Benton, the director for Global Programs at the Migration Policy Institute, emphasized that Brexit has introduced a new dynamic to the situation.
With the absence of an alternative arrangement post-Brexit, the UK and France are currently testing a ‘one-in-one-out’ returns system to discourage these crossings. Ms. Benton, speaking at the Home Affairs Select Committee, acknowledged the challenge of obtaining concrete evidence on the matter, highlighting the complexity of the population in northern France and their asylum status.
Critics have contended that the UK’s loss of a returns agreement with Europe has benefitted smuggling networks. French President Emmanuel Macron has suggested that Brexit has hindered Britain’s ability to deport individuals, leading to an increase in crossings. Furthermore, Keir Starmer referred to the small boats as “Farage boats,” criticizing Nigel Farage’s assertion during the 2016 Brexit referendum that leaving the EU would not impact migration policy.
Experts have advised that intensifying the ‘one-in-one-out’ return deal with France is necessary to deter these crossings. Dr. Mihnea Cuibus from the Oxford Migration Observatory explained that the decision to cross the Channel hinges on the perceived risks and potential returns, emphasizing the need for a significant deterrent to dissuade individuals who have already taken substantial risks in their journey.
