Farage unveils small boats deal with French National Rally party
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and French National Rally President Jordan Bardella have signed a memorandum of understanding on returning small boat migrants.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Nigel Farage and Jordan Bardella signed a deal to return cross-Channel migrants
- The agreement was signed at the Reform UK annual conference in Birmingham
- France would ordinarily accept intercepted migrants and repatriate them home
- Labour Party critics dismissed the proposal as unworkable and impractical
Nigel Farage has agreed on a political pact with France's hard-right National Rally (RN) party, led by Jordan Bardella, concerning the return of migrants attempting to cross the English Channel in small boats should both parties attain power. This development follows Reform UK's announcement last month detailing plans to intercept migrant boats using the Royal Navy and return them directly to French ports.
The proposed memorandum was officially signed at Reform UK's annual conference held in Birmingham by RN President Jordan Bardella. Bardella's party currently leads in opinion polls ahead of the French presidential elections scheduled for April next year. During his speech to delegates in the main conference hall, Bardella hailed Farage as the UK's next prime minister and pledged close bilateral cooperation.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Addressing party members, Bardella stated that an RN government would make every effort to ensure France ceases to serve as a transit route for illegal migration into the United Kingdom. The political document stipulates that the UK will intercept vessels departing from French shores that enter British territorial waters and return the passengers to France, where authorities would ordinarily accept them prior to legal repatriation to their countries of origin.
While this memorandum of understanding currently functions as a political document rather than a legally binding international treaty, it highlights how populist and right-wing European political factions are increasingly coordinating strategies on border security and immigration control to appeal to domestic nationalist electorates ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.
Meanwhile, opposition parties, including Labour, criticized the proposed arrangement as unworkable. Labour officials emphasized that ongoing cooperation with French authorities—such as deploying additional officers to French beaches and increasing funding to deter crossings—has already contributed to reducing the total number of small boat arrivals.
"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."
Reform UK and National Rally Memorandum of Understanding
Under previously outlined policies by Reform UK, any illegal migrants who manage to successfully reach the UK from France would face immediate detention and deportation directly to their home nations rather than being sent back across the Channel. Achieving this objective within the first 100 days of taking office remains a core pledge for the party.
Source: BBC Politics
Found something wrong in this article? Report an issue with this article
Comments
Leave a Comment