Sir Keir Starmer is facing a huge negotiating humiliation this week after it was revealed his hoped-for migrant exchange scheme with France will be hugely watered down. 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 on Wednesday: "The number of people affected would be symbolic, at the highest of around 50 returns to France per week." A total of 21,117 migrants have crossed into Britain from France in 2025 alone, with a total of 44,000 arriving since Sir Keir entered Downing Street a year ago on a promise of "smashing the gangs".

The Home Office and No 10 have declined to comment on the initial numbers that will be returned to France under the trial.

However, officials previously insisted that numbers would start small, but potentially increase if proved to have an effect on the number of crossings.

Sir Keir's hopes also face being derailed by EU leaders, with a diplomatic source telling Le Monde: "We are putting ourselves in the hands of the English, with minimal compensation, and we are depriving ourselves of a European agreement."

The "Med Five" countries of Italy, Spain, Greece, Malta, and Cyprus have also sent a joint letter to the EU Commission expressing "serious concerns" about a bilateral returns deal between France and Britain.

They argue that migrants sent back to France from Britain could then be forced to settle in their Mediterranean countries, which are being swamped by crossings from Africa.

It is hoped that a one-in, one-out scheme would destroy the business model of the people-smuggling gangs, as anyone paying thousands for a spot in a small boat would be returned immediately to France.

Following Mr Macron and Sir Keir's bilateral meeting in Downing Street on Wednesday, a No 10 spokesman said the two leaders "agreed tackling the threat of irregular migration and small boat crossings is a shared priority that requires shared solutions".

The spokesman added: "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."

On Tuesday, a top UK minister was blasted after appearing to suggest she was uncomfortable with French police slashing a migrant dinghy and preventing it from reaching Britain.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander claimed that the footage of French police intercepting the boat in shallow water "wasn't pleasant to see", despite widespread praise on social media.

The top minister insisted that Britain is getting value for money from the French, after handing over £700million to the country in the last decade to help prevent migrant crossings.

Ms Alexander said: "We'll always spend our money in the public interest, in the national interest, I think that footage we saw - while it wasn't pleasant to see in terms of the action the French authorities were taking to cut those boats - to prevent people leaving the French shores, that's action that we are supporting.

"The gangs have changed their tactics in recent months and recent years, and I think it's right that our tactics change. But we are going to have to work very closely with France to tackle this problem. And that's why this visit from President Macron this week is so important."

Reacting to her claim that the dinghy slashing had not been "pleasant to see", Reform UK's Lee Anderson told the Express: "Jesus. My constituents would go a lot tougher than puncturing a boat."

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp added: "I would like to see this happen to every dingy."