Keir Starmer accused of 'gaslighting' the British public for making 'grossly exaggerated' claims about the new 'one-in, one-out' migrant deal

The Daily Mail ^ | 07 Aug 2025 | David Barrett

[MinorityRepublican]

Keir Starmer was accused of 'gaslighting the British public' after he made 'grossly exaggerated' claims over the Government's new migrant deal yesterday.

Labour announced it had detained the first small boat migrants under its 'one in, one out' returns treaty with France.

But despite the narrow scope of the pilot scheme and the likelihood of long-running legal challenges, the Prime Minister took to social media to claim: 'If you break the law to enter this country, you will face being sent back.'

Writing on X, he added: 'No gimmicks, just results.'

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also appeared to overstate the likely impact of her scheme, claiming that 'every migrant' will be 'throwing away their money if they get into a small boat'.

The Home Office refused to disclose how many Channel migrants had been held yesterday.

But any efforts to send them back to France are likely to lead to human rights claims and other legal actions which could delay removals for months, or longer.

The Anglo-French agreement will expire in ten months' time, with any renewal then in doubt as the next French presidential election campaign will, by then, be gathering pace.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'The PM is gaslighting the British public. His tweet is a gross exaggeration of what this paltry scheme will do.

'We understand that only 6 per cent of illegal arrivals will get removed, meaning 94 per cent will stay.

'That is no deterrent, and Starmer's misleading claims won't fool anyone, least of all the people smugglers who have had a record year under Labour.'

He said the Government's scheme would 'get bogged down in an endless legal quagmire' because 'any migrants claiming to be under 18, or who make a modern slavery or human rights claim, will not get removed'.

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TOPICS: United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: britain; france; oneinoneout; treaty

[Mlheureux]

All out, Zero in.

[Telepathic Intruder]

back stabbing is a more appropriate description.

[drypowder]

Ya think that the people of the UK have figured out yet what a train wreck Starmer is for them and their country? I don’t, because he’s still got his job.

[jerod]

The UK is letting a city of immigrants in yearly, about a million per year... That just isn’t sustainable. They all get money, housing and free healthcare.

[jocon307]

I don’t get it. All of Europe must engage to KEEP THESE PEOPLE OUT. AND THROW OUT THE ONES THAT HAVE ENTERED.

Why are they not doing this? All these people are is a bunch of rapists, it seems like.

How the h*ll is this happening?