First ‘one in one out’ flight to France takes off with no migrants on board

A legal challenge put plans on pause

For two days in a row, no migrants have been returned to France following a deal that was struck to see illegal migrants returned to the nation they had arrived from on small boats.

The deal was announced in July by UK PM Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron, although the process has been slow moving with reports saying that no one is yet to be returned to France.

As part of the deal, seats are booked on commercial flights back to France, with reservations believed to have been made on an Air France passenger plane this week.

However, the Times and Telegraph reported that plans scheduled for Monday did not go ahead as planned due to legal challenges.

The Times reported that this was due to outstanding human rights claims, with the plans being halted for another day.

Home Office minister Alex Davies-Jones told Times Radio this morning: "I’m not going to comment or give a running commentary on what is happening here.

"These deportations will be happening as soon as possible."

The government reluctant to reveal the full details and numbers in the plan.

This is due to fears of information being used by smuggling gangs to convince people that taking the trip on a small boat could be worth the risk.

The ambiguity is intended as a deterrent for those getting ready to take the risk.

Davies-Jones said: "If I was to break down with you exactly a time-by-time, day-by-day movement on our returns policy, then that would be giving these abhorrent people smugglers exactly what they want.

"This would be allowing them to know what the government is doing when, and they would be able to respond to that. We are not going to be doing them any favours."