Sir Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron have agreed a plan to send back small boats migrants, with an asylum seeker being sent to the UK in exchange. The prime minister said the scheme would help "finally turn the tables" on the migrant crisis in the English Channel. Report by Jonesia. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
00:00Some 21,000 illegal migrants have crossed the Channel from France to England so far this year.
00:08The French president says the UK and France share the same will in addressing the issue, as his state visit concludes.
00:15Sir Keir Starmer says more cooperation with France is the way to tackle small boat crossings.
00:20We all agree the situation in the Channel cannot go on as it is.
00:25So we're bringing new tactics into play and a new level of intent to tackle illegal migration and break the business model of the criminal gangs.
00:36At a press conference in northwest London on Thursday afternoon, it was announced that the UK government's hoped-for deal had been done.
00:43So I'm pleased to announce our agreement today on a groundbreaking returns pilot.
00:49For the very first time, migrants arriving via small boat will be detained and returned to France in short order.
01:00In 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.
01:21But initially, as few as 50 migrants per week could be deported, just a fraction of those who arrive.
01:50On some days, you get hundreds of individuals arriving.
01:55So clearly, this wouldn't put a big dent in that.
01:57We're talking, what, low single-digit percentages on current rates of arrival.
02:02Whether that would have a material impact, very difficult to know.
02:06If it were to have one, you'd have to assume that would be a more moderate kind of impact.
02:12UK Border Force ships picked up people from small boats this morning as the country enters another heatwave.
02:18Weather, and not politicians, usually has the greatest impact on the number of crossings.
02:25The government will hope today marks a sea change in this routine.
02:29However, war and starvation have brought many of these people thousands of miles to northern France.
02:35They have very little in this world, except hope, patience and determination, stronger than any plan or arrangement agreed by prime ministers or presidents.
