'Illegals are laughing at us': Fury erupts over France migrant farce as TWO milestones hit

A Channel migrant deported to France travelled back to the UK on a small boat, making a mockery of Keir Starmer's one-in-one-out deal with Emmanuel Macron.

The Iranian national, who claims he was threatened at gunpoint and abused by people smugglers, fled a shelter in Paris because he was "afraid for my life" in the French capital.

He then crossed the Channel again in a small boat on Saturday.

But the revelations came on another day of shame for the Home Office, asthe number of migrant arrivals this year passed the total for 2024 - 36,816 - with two months still to go in 2025.

Analysis revealed more than 60,000 have crossed since Sir Keir Starmer took office, leaving his pledge to "smash the gangs" in tatters.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood admitted these figures are "shameful", adding the "British people deserve better".

But Reform UK leader Nigel Farage told the Express: "Starmer's one in, one out policy is a total abject failure. Illegals are laughing at us. Totally incompetent people are policing our borders."

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: "The Government's gimmick returns scheme is descending into farce.

"They can't even ensure the handful of people they return to France actually stay there - and now this man has come back to the UK and is using a modern slavery claim to stay.

"Only 42 people have been returned to France over a time when over 10,000 have arrived.

"This is clearly no deterrent at all. We need to leave the ECHR to allow us remove all illegal immigrants within a week of arrival.

"But Labour is too weak to do that."

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: "Does that mean we now have to take two people from France to return him?

"This Labour Government is in total chaos - no backbone, no plan and too weak to take the tough decisions to secure our borders."

The failed asylum seeker first arrived in the UK on August 6, before being removed on September 19.

Ms Mahmood is said to have been "furious" about the farce and sources say the Iranian national will be "deported as soon as possible".

But the asylum seeker, who has not been named, said he was filled with "terror and stress" in France.

He said: "If I had felt that France was safe for me, I would never have returned to the UK.

"When we were returned to France we were taken to a shelter in Paris. I didn't dare to go out because I was afraid for my life. The smugglers are very dangerous. They always carry weapons and knives. I fell into the trap of a human trafficking network in the forests of France before I crossed to the UK from France the first time.

"They took me like a worthless object, forced me to work, abused me, and threatened me with a gun and told me I would be killed if I made the slightest protest.

"Every day and every night I was filled with terror and stress. Every day I live in fear and anxiety, every loud noise, every shadow, every strange face scares me.

"When I reached the UK the first time and the Home Office asked what had happened to me, I was crying and couldn't speak about this because of the shame."

More than 11,000 migrants have reached Britain since the "one-in-one-out" scheme began on Aug 6.

Keir Starmer was dealt two hammer blows on Wednesday as the number of arrivals this year surged past 36,816 - the total for the whole of 2024.

And the crossings meant the number of migrants detected in the Channel under Labour passed 60,000.

Migrants sent back to France are housed in one of 3,000 state accommodation centres for asylum seekers.

But they are not detained, which means they are free to come and go.

France's interior ministry denied that conditions for asylum seekers returned to France were difficult.

Analysis by the think tank Migration Watch on Tuesday slammed Sir Keir's returns deal with France, warning only 42 people have been removed since August 6.

They said it would take almost 300 years to remove every migrant who has arrived under Labour.

Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt said the returns scheme "sends a message" to those hoping to cross.

But, addressing MPs last week, Mr Hewitt said the Home Office was yet to encounter a migrant returning after being deported to France.

He said: "We check everyone who comes over on a small boat, or by any other mechanism. Therefore, if someone is a person we have returned, that would become apparent very quickly.

"It really is very early days.

"Given the fact that we are, for the first time, in a place where someone who is inadmissible can be returned to France, and that we are in a place where there is an ability to offer someone an opportunity to avoid going into a small boat, I think that this is a positive place.

"It is very early stages in the pilot.

"We have to get the system working, work it through and get it up and running.

"Then we can be in a position to scale the system up. However, the reality-and I know I have said this a number of times, but it is an important point-is that there is no one thing that is going to fundamentally stop the situation we face."

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hosted the leaders of the Western Balkan nations in London on Wednesday, hoping to agree new measures to prevent migrants using a "criminal highway" through Europe.

Only Kosovo has said it is willing to accept failed asylum seekers from the UK, as others distanced themselves from the Labour leader's return hubs plan.

But the Kosovans admitted they would only be able to take a "small" number.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: "The previous government left our borders in crisis, and we are still living with the consequences. These figures are shameful - the British people deserve better.

"This Government is taking action. We have detained and removed more than 35,000 who were here illegally. Our historic deal with the French means those who arrive on small boats are now being sent back.

"But it is clear we must go further and faster - removing more of those here illegally, and stopping migrants from making small boat crossings in the first place.

"And I have been clear: I will do whatever it takes to restore order to our border."

A Home Office spokesperson said: "We will not accept any abuse of our borders, and we will do everything in our power to remove those without the legal right to be here.

"Individuals who are returned under the pilot and subsequently attempt to re-enter the UK illegally will be removed."