Brexit has been identified as a contributing factor to the increase in small boat crossings, according to testimonies provided to Members of Parliament. Individuals entering the UK illegally have expressed reluctance, citing a desire to avoid being returned under the Dublin Convention, which previously allowed the UK to send asylum seekers back to the EU. Meghan Benton, the director for Global Programs at the Migration Policy Institute, highlighted the significant impact of Brexit in introducing a new aspect to the situation.
Following Brexit, the UK did not establish an alternative agreement regarding the Dublin Convention, leaving uncertainties regarding asylum seeker returns. However, the UK and France are currently experimenting with a ‘one-in-one-out’ returns system aimed at deterring illegal crossings.
During a session with the Home Affairs Select Committee, Ms. Benton acknowledged challenges in obtaining concrete evidence on the correlation between Brexit and small boat crossings. However, she noted instances where individuals in northern France expressed concerns about being returned under the Dublin Convention, viewing the UK as an additional opportunity for asylum.
Critics have argued that the absence of a returns agreement with the EU has benefitted smuggling networks. French President Emmanuel Macron highlighted Brexit’s impact on the UK’s ability to repatriate individuals, potentially fueling the rise in crossings.
Opposition leader Keir Starmer has labeled the small boats phenomenon as “Farage boats,” criticizing Nigel Farage for inaccurately claiming during the Brexit campaign that leaving the EU would not affect migration policies.
Experts suggest that intensifying the ‘one-in-one-out’ return arrangement with France is crucial to dissuade illegal crossings. Dr. Mihnea Cuibus from the Oxford Migration Observatory emphasized the need to raise the probability of individuals being returned to outweigh the risks and costs associated with making the Channel crossing, considering the significant perils faced by asylum seekers undertaking such journeys.