UK Mass Deportation News: Nigel Farage Vows to Send Back Migrants From '100 Boats' — But Why Is France Undeterred?

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has pledged mass deportations of migrants arriving via small boats, targeting over 100 vessels, while the UK government prepares to deport more than 100 migrants to France within weeks.

Despite these plans, France appears unfazed, continuing to facilitate crossings, raising questions about the effectiveness of both strategies. This development follows a record 28,288 Channel crossings in 2025, a 46% increase from last year, intensifying public and political pressure.

Farage's Radical Deportation Blueprint

Nigel Farage has outlined a bold plan to address what he calls a massive crisis in UK immigration. In a speech on 26 August 2025, he proposed scrapping the Human Rights Act and withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to enable mass deportations. His plan includes detaining migrants in disused RAF bases and deporting them via five daily flights, costing an estimated £10 billion ($13.4 billion) over five years.

Farage claims this would save £7 billion ($9.38 billion) annually by eliminating asylum hotel costs. 'There is only one way to stop people coming into Britain, and that is to detain them and deport them,' Farage told The Times. He also suggested using British overseas territories like Ascension Island as a fallback if return agreements with countries like Afghanistan fail.

However, former attorney general Dominic Grieve warned that British common law could block these plans, even without international treaties, stating, 'You still can't rule out that a court might – in the case of somebody where it was quite clear they were going to be deported, in circumstances where their lives would be seriously at risk in their home country – intervene to stop deportation under customary law or even the common law'

UK-France Deal Faces Challenges

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's government is set to implement a one in, one out migrant deal with France, agreed with President Emmanuel Macron in summer 2025. This deal aims to return over 100 detained migrants, including some arrested over the 25 August bank holiday weekend, to France within weeks.

In exchange, the UK would accept an equal number of asylum seekers with ties to Britain. The Times reported that 212 migrants crossed in four boats on 24 August, highlighting the scale of the challenge. Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle dismissed Farage's plans as fantasy solutions, stating, 'These are back-of-the-fag-packet plans without substance.'

France's cooperation remains uncertain, with Farage claiming, 'The French aren't there to help us,' pointing to French Navy escorts of migrant boats into UK waters.

France's Stance and Public Sentiment

France's apparent indifference to UK deportation plans stems from differing priorities and legal frameworks. French authorities have been observed watching migrants board boats, with GB News reporting a vessel carrying 70 migrants escorted into British waters on 25 August.

An X post from @BGatesIsaPyscho on 10 July 2025 claimed, 'French & British Border forces working together to ferry migrants to their new free hotel life.'

Another post from @InstantInfo07 on 23 August 2025 noted, 'Nigel Farage calls UK immigration a "massive crisis" - unveils plan for mass deportations within 30 days.'

Public frustration is evident, with a YouGov poll showing 71% of voters believe Starmer is handling the small boats crisis poorly. Protests outside asylum hotels over the weekend underscore rising tensions, as Labour faces pressure to deliver results.