Fury over Keir Starmer's rumoured Channel migrant surrender to Macron - 'Pathetic!'

Keir Starmer has been slammed tonight after it emerged he may have caved in over his demands for a one-in-one-out illegal migrant returns deal with the French. French media have claimed that Mr Macron, who is in Britain for a state visit, may only agree to a deal for 50 Channel migrants to be returned to France every week.

This would amount to 17 migrants entering Britain illegally for every one returned over the Channel. Le Monde, the respected French newspaper, reported this morning: "The number of people affected would be symbolic, at the highest of around 50 returns to France per week." The news has been met with disbelief that the Prime Minister's negotiating attempts have once again let down Britain. Two former Home Secretaries emerged this evening to pan the deal, with James Cleverly branding Sir Keir: "Pathetic!"

Mr Cleverly added: "The French do not do favours, they are tough negotiators who act in their national interest. I respect that.

"Starmer expected favours, wouldn't recognise the national interest if it sat on him, and couldn't negotiate his way out of a wet paper bag."

His predecessor at the Home Office, Suella Braverman, simply reacted: "This is ridiculous. The ratio should be 170 out for every 1 in."

Meanwhile, the Tories' serving Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp blasted: "If this is true it amounts to only around 5% of arrivals in the last year. That means 95% of those crossing get to stay, and so there will be no deterrent effect whatsoever."

The Centre for Migration Control, a think tank dedicated to controlling migration, observed: "This is why negotiating with Europe on illegal migration is dangerous. Want to stop the boats? Detain. Deport. Stop letting the French walk all over us."

President Macron's three-day state visit will conclude tomorrow, with a major summit and press conference where Sir Keir will face a barrage of questions about the detail of his migrant agreement.

This evening a No. 10 spinner insisted the reports were incorrect, but refused to explain how.

Following a bilateral meeting between the two leaders in No. 10 this afternoon, a Downing Street spokesman said they: "Agreed tackling the threat of irregular migration and small boat crossings is a shared priority that requires shared solutions.

"The Prime Minister spoke of his Government's toughening of the system in the past year to ensure rules are respected and enforced, including a massive surge in illegal working arrests to end the false promise of jobs that are used to sell spaces on boats.

"The two leaders agreed on the need to go further and make progress on new and innovative solutions, including a new deterrent to break the business model of these gangs."