Senior government officials believe a new Franco-British agreement aimed at returning migrants crossing the English Channel could be a breakthrough, but its success depends on whether it effectively deters crossings; critics argue the initial scale may be insufficient to significantly reduce numbers, and failure to do so could be seen as a failure of the deal.
Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick has criticized the draft legislation to revive the Rwanda asylum scheme, stating that it is weak and will be bogged down by legal challenges. He believes the bill will not succeed in deterring asylum seekers from crossing the English Channel. Jenrick resigned from his post because he could not support a weak bill that he deemed ineffective. The bill has divided opinions among Conservative MPs, with some arguing it goes too far in bypassing the courts and others saying it does not go far enough. The government needs enough Tory MPs to vote for the bill to ensure its passage.