RN and Reform UK Sign Migration Deal to Return Channel Migrants to France

The proposed agreement, unveiled at Reform UK's annual conference in Birmingham, states that France would "ordinarily accept" those on board and then repatriate them to their home country. It was signed by RN President Jordan Bardella, whose party is currently leading in opinion polls ahead of presidential elections in April next year. In a speech ahead of the deal being unveiled, Bardella told delegates that an RN government would "do everything in its power to ensure that France is no longer the gateway for illegal migration into the United Kingdom.

Hailing Farage as the UK's next prime minister, Bardella pledged to work with a potential future Reform government to tackle illegal migration. The memorandum of understanding is a political document but could be developed into a legal agreement between two future governments. It states: "The United Kingdom will intercept boats which have launched from French shores and entered British territorial waters and will return the persons on board to France. France will ordinarily accept these persons, who will be repatriated to their home country in accordance with the law in force in France concerning expulsion.