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UK announces 'one in, one out' migrant deal with France is scrapped

The Home Office said the UK-France returns pilot is no longer processing new cases, after earlier reports it would lapse on 1 October. Outlets differ on whether it expired as planned or collapsed.

8 outlets · 1L · 4C · 3R First reported Account updated

Updated (version 3). New coverage since the last version from Arab News, BBC News, CNA, France 24, South China Morning Post. Previously: “UK-France 'one in, one out' migrant deal set to end as talks stall”.

Image: GB News
Image: South China Morning Post
Image: The Guardian
Image: BBC News
Image: The Straits Times
Image: France 24
Image: Arab News
Image: CNA

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The story, neutrally told

On Wednesday 30 September 2026 the UK government announced that its "one in, one out" pilot with France is scrapped. A Home Office spokesperson said the scheme is "no longer processing new cases" but that flights will continue over the coming weeks for people already detained. Earlier in the day the Guardian, citing government sources, had reported the deal was expected to expire on Thursday 1 October after talks stalled over a French demand for an EU-wide scheme and reluctance to scale up numbers.

A French interior ministry source said the two countries are discussing the terms of withdrawal. France has said it was a time-limited pilot; interior minister Laurent Nuñez said in June it was not meant to run beyond 1 October 2026, though he also said it could deter crossings. The BBC said roughly 1,500 people have been removed to France; the Guardian said more than 1,400, with a reciprocal number flown to the UK.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told MPs the scheme cost about £56,000 per person returned and was operationally difficult to scale; GB News put the wider cost at £84 million. France 24 cited Le Monde as saying Prime Minister Andy Burnham had pressed Emmanuel Macron to keep the deal, but Paris wanted to end the cooperation. Crossings are down: 19,135 people had crossed by small boat by 27 September, 42% fewer than a year earlier.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.

Left1 outlet

Framing
Guardian frames it as a pilot expiring after talks stalled over a French demand for an EU-wide deal.
Emphasis
Government-source quotes, Nuñez's June remarks, cost and scaling difficulties.
Leaves out or plays down
Published before the Home Office announcement; no 'scrapped' statement.
For example
“We would like to see the deal continue. But its not the end of the world if it doesn’t” — The Guardian

Centre4 outlets

Framing
BBC, France 24 and SCMP (AP) report it as scrapped, with context on crossings and numbers.
Emphasis
Home Office statement, small numbers, crossings data, Le Monde on Paris's stance.
Leaves out or plays down
Little on overall cost beyond £56,000 per person (BBC only).
For example
“The BBC understands the government would have liked the scheme to continue, but felt it did not reach the desired scale.” — BBC News
“Paris was in a hurry to end the cooperation on controlling migrant flows.” — France 24

Right3 outlets

Framing
GB News presents a failure and waste of taxpayers' money; Reuters and AP wire copy on Arab News and Straits Times is factual.
Emphasis
Collapse, cost, Mahmood's ownership of the deal, French officials' comments.
Leaves out or plays down
GB News gives less on the fall in crossings and on France's time-limited-pilot position.
Charged language
“failed”“SCRAPPED”“whopping £84million”“binned”“It's over!”
For example
“Britain's failed "one in, one out" migrant returns deal with France SCRAPPED after costing taxpayer £84million” — GB News
“is on the verge of collapse, with one senior French immigration official declaring it "over" already” — GB News