Asylum seekers in northern France who hope to reach the UK in small boats are to be targeted with Home Office-endorsed posters and leaflets telling them that they are risk of being returned under a new “one in, one out” deal.
Signs in English and French will be mounted near French beaches around Calais and Dunkirk to tell people that they are risking their lives and are being deceived by smuggling gangs about the opportunities they will be given in the UK.
The publicity campaign, which has been signed off by the French government, is believed to be the first to try to dissuade asylum seekers in France from travelling to the UK. The plans have been dismissed by refugee organisations as a “gimmick” when refugees need practical support.
The campaign, which was discussed with the French authorities over the summer, is part of a more aggressive Home Office stance while confronting people attempting to get into the UK on small boats.
A Whitehall source said: “It is a big deal for the French authorities to consider allowing the Home Office to mount a campaign on French territory. We need to ensure that people crossing the Channel know that it is dangerous, that their lives will not be easy in the UK and that they could be returned under the new agreement.”
More than 50,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats since Labour came to power in July 2024, with the vast majority embarking on dangerous crossings from beaches across northern France.
On Tuesday, a woman died when the overcrowded dinghy she was in suffered what Kent police described as a “catastrophic deflation” 10 miles off the coast of Dover. The woman was airlifted to shore but pronounced dead, police said.
The publicity campaign was drawn up by officials in the Home Office under the last home secretary, Yvette Cooper. It has been endorsed by Shabana Mahmood, who was promoted to the role on Friday. Mahmood said on Monday that her “top priority” was securing the UK’s borders.
On Saturday, Mahmood’s first full day in the job, 1,097 people arrived, one of the highest numbers of daily arrivals on record.
The one-in-one-out deal, confirmed by Keir Starmer in July, will allow the UK to return one person who has entered the country by irregular means, in return for taking someone in France whose claim for asylum in the UK is expected to have a greater chance of success.
It was trumpeted by ministers as a “gamechanging” deal when announced in July, and dozens of people have been detained under it.
Although the first returns were initially expected in August, officials said this week that they were now expected to take place “within weeks”, and will apply to about 50 people at first.
Refugee organisations expressed doubt that the campaign would have any effect.
Enver Solomon, the CEO of the Refugee Council, said: “Rather than relying on tough talking tactics, the Home Office should ensure people have access to accurate information, advice and guidance about applying for asylum from trusted organisations such as the Red Cross or UNHCR.
“Providing clear, practical support can help people make informed decisions and discourage them from making dangerous journeys to seek sanctuary in the UK.”
Steve Smith, the CEO of Care4Calais, said: “People have fled war, torture and persecution at home, taken perilous journeys to reach northern France and are prepared to risk their lives to seek sanctuary in the UK. A sign is not going to deter a single person from crossing the Channel in order to be allowed to claim asylum in the UK.
“It’s time the government ditched the gimmicks and the so-called deterrents that never work. The only way to end Channel crossings is to create proper, safe routes for people to claim asylum. Presumably the government has already paid for the signage for the beaches, so we could even convert the signs to provide information on how people can apply for those safe routes.”
The Home Office is expected to launch the campaign shortly. The department has been asked how much it plans to spend on the campaign, but did not respond before publication.
