The Home Secretary has adopted a hardline negotiating stance with France over a new £450 million border security agreement, insisting Paris must finish construction of a delayed migrant detention facility before talks can advance.
Shabana Mahmood is holding firm on the completion of the Dunkirk centre as a precondition for renewing the partnership, which expires on Tuesday unless officials can reach a fresh settlement following last week’s Paris discussions.
The facility, originally scheduled to become fully operational this year, has been hampered by planning complications. Downing Street had agreed to help fund the centre with expectations French authorities would use it to detain and remove migrants attempting Channel crossings.
Britain’s current £475 million border patrol arrangement with France, initially signed by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, included provisions for the detention centre alongside increased beach patrols and enhanced surveillance technology.
The Home Office extended an offer last year to prolong the existing agreement through 2027, but made the extension conditional upon completing the Dunkirk construction.
Ms Mahmood reportedly favours restructuring payments to reflect actual performance, proposing Britain compensate France proportionally based on successful interceptions rather than a flat fee.
French coastal patrols currently prevent approximately 37 per cent of attempted crossings—a significant decline from the 50 per cent interception rate recorded in 2023 when the nearly £500 million deal was struck.
Figures published by the French Government earlier this month revealed British taxpayers fund 62 per cent of France’s total northern coast patrol expenditure, contributing £155 million of the £250 million available budget.
A Downing Street spokesman said last week: “I won’t get ahead of the negotiations but we are looking at how we can build flexibility and innovation into any new deal with the French to ensure that there is long-term value for money and a real impact on small boat crossings.”
The spokesman acknowledged there was no “silver bullet” for tackling illegal migration, describing the French partnership as merely “one tool in our armory.”
The Home Office maintained that collaboration with Paris continues to deliver results. “France is our most important migration partner and together our joint work is bearing down on small boat crossings,” a department spokesman stated.
“We have prevented over 40,000 crossing attempts by illegal migrants since this government took office. Our landmark deal means illegal migrants who arrive on small boats are being sent back to France.”
The negotiating teams face mounting pressure to finalise terms before Tuesday’s deadline, though the detention centre dispute threatens to complicate swift agreement.
