A bold new proposal is calling for asylum centres to be set up in France to stop the dangerous and chaotic Channel crossings once and for all. The idea, backed by a former advisor to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, suggests a more controlled and safer way for people to apply to come to the UK, without risking their lives in small boats.
Beth Gardiner-Smith, who worked closely with Cooper, is supporting the plan outlined in a new report by the Future Governance Forum. The report urges the UK to take inspiration from the Biden administration’s cooperation with Mexico, which cut unauthorised crossings by over 90% for some nationalities. The thinking is, if it worked there, why not here?, reported the Mirror.
At the heart of the plan is the creation of what they call Asylum Management Centres—places where people can apply for asylum before ever reaching UK shores. “Currently, there is no way to apply for asylum if you’re outside the UK,” Gardiner-Smith explained. “That’s what pushes thousands to risk everything on dangerous journeys. These centres, alongside a readmissions agreement, would offer both a deterrent and a safer alternative.”
The report goes further, recommending a cap on asylum numbers and a one-in-one-out deal with France. Failed asylum seekers could be returned under this agreement, and new applicants could be processed in a more orderly, humane way.
It’s a far cry from the current mess, where Calais has become a flashpoint and the Channel a graveyard for too many. Gardiner-Smith added that the upcoming UK-EU summit could be the perfect moment to reset the relationship and push for a cooperative approach—one that could see President Macron welcome a more balanced solution to the Calais crisis.
The idea is to shift control back to the UK by processing people before they arrive. The FGF report puts it plainly: “Starmer may be managing expectations for now, but eventually this government will be judged on what it delivers, not what it promises.”
A Home Office spokesperson confirmed the UK and France are already stepping up joint efforts, including deploying elite officers and setting up specialist intelligence teams.
There’s also been movement on changing France’s maritime policy to allow it to intervene in shallow waters—something the UK has long called for. But the question now is whether Labour will take the next step and back something that could finally bring order to the Channel.
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