France Posts Signs Warning Against UK-Bound Migrants

By Staff, Agencies

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 French government has launched a campaign to deter asylum seekers from heading to the UK, marking the first of its kind. Refugee groups, however, have dismissed it as a "gimmick," emphasizing the need for practical support instead.

The campaign, developed in talks with French authorities, is part of the UK Home Office's tougher approach to preventing small boat crossings.

A Whitehall source called the French approval of the UK’s beach campaign “a big deal,” aiming to warn Channel crossers about dangers, tough UK conditions, and possible returns under the new deal.

Since Labour took power in July 2024, over 50,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats. On Tuesday, a woman died after an overcrowded dinghy deflated off Dover’s coast.

The campaign, created under former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, has been endorsed by Shabana Mahmood, who made securing the UK’s borders her "top priority."

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, allows the UK to return one irregular migrant in exchange for accepting an asylum seeker from France with a stronger claim. Ministers hailed it as "gamechanging," with dozens detained under the scheme.

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.

Refugee Council CEO Enver Solomon urged the Home Office to prioritize clear asylum guidance from trusted groups over tough rhetoric.

“Providing clear, practical support can help people make informed decisions and discourage them from making dangerous journeys to seek sanctuary in the UK.”

Care4Calais CEO Steve Smith said signs won’t stop desperate people fleeing war and risking their lives to seek asylum in the UK.

“It’s time to ditch gimmicks,” says Steve Smith, urging the government to create safe asylum routes instead of ineffective signs

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.