David Lammy faced a brutal grilling from Sky’s Trevor Phillips over Labour’s migrant returns deal with France. The Deputy Prime Minister was asked why the one in, one out pilot scheme is “actually about 31,000 in and three out”.

Mr Lammy also blamed Brexit as he said the UK left the Dublin Regulation, which allows EU members to return failed asylum seekers to other countries in the bloc, despite more people coming to Britain than leaving under the scheme in the final two years it was operating. During an appearance on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, the host asked: “Why is this one in, one out policy still actually about 31,000 in and three out? Why aren’t you sending people straight back?”

Mr Lammy replied: “Well the starting point is returns are up 14%, 35,000 returned and as foreign secretary I kept a close eye on the relationships we were striking with a number of countries to make sure their nationals were returned if they had no right to be here.

“The truth is we exited the EU, we left the Dublin Convention, we did not have arrangements in place with countries to return.

“This pilot is the first step at a negotiated deal with France for one in, one out and I’m pleased that has now happened despite attempts in the courts to thwart that. It’s the beginning, not the end of the story.”

The presenter continued to press Mr Lammy on the numbers, saying: “Here’s the problem with this, 1,000 people crossed the Channel yesterday, even if you got to your target of 50 returns a week the probability for anyone getting into one of those boats being returned to France is around one in 20.

“In other words 19 out of 20 of every boat will be sure that they won’t get sent back. That is not a deterrent. What is the point of this?”

The Cabinet minister said: “I recognise that this is frustrating, of course it’s frustrating to see people coming across in this way and it’s deeply disturbing and troubling when people are losing their lives because of these gangs.

“But people also want to see the Government making an attempt to rebuild a system that was broken by the last government.

“Just a few weeks ago many journalists weer speculating we wouldn’t be able to do a deal with France, we’ve got that deal but it’s the beginning and not the end.

“It’s an important deal to have struck and if we can build on it over the coming months and increase the numbers that’s what I expect the Home Secretary will be doing.”

It comes after more than a thousand migrants crossed the English Channel in small boats on Friday as the Government sent a third person back to France.

It takes the number of people who have made the dangerous journey so far in 2025 to 32,103 – a record for this point in a year.