Directly addressing the migration agreement between Keir Starmer and France, an unsettling development has arisen.
The latest attempts by the British government to address the issue of migrants arriving on small boats have faced yet another setback, with a High Court judge temporarily halting Keir Starmer's "one-in, one-out" asylum copilot program. The decision, announced on Tuesday, has been met with a mix of dismay and disappointment within the government. One minister was quoted as describing it as "a bucket of sick," while another expressed concern that it could be seen as further proof that governments have not effectively controlled immigration policy. The copilot program, which was intended to deter asylum-seekers arriving on small boats, has faced legal challenges and delays. It is not the first time such efforts have been thwarted by the courts - Rishi Sunak, Starmer's Conservative predecessor, experienced similar difficulties with his plan to send some people seeking asylum to Rwanda. That plan was blocked by the U.K. Supreme Court, which declared Rwanda was not a safe country. The halt in Starmer's copilot program is due to a migrant's argument of facing a "real risk of destitution." Another factor is a "short period of interim relief" granted to gather evidence of potential modern slavery victimization. The court decision has been criticized by political rivals and opposition parties, with Zia Yusuf, Head of Policy for Reform UK, issuing a press statement calling the France deal "completely hollow and unworkable." Chris Philp, the Conservative shadow home secretary, has also stated that the government's latest Channel migrant gimmick is in disarray. Despite the setback, Liz Kendall, a senior minister, expressed confidence that the copilot will work and that removals will still take place. Rupert Yorke, Sunak's former deputy chief of staff, believes the ruling will fuel the public's desire for "radical solutions to deliver tangible results." The France deal, part of Starmer's policy, involves Britain's prime minister signing a deterrent deal with French President Emmanuel Macron to return a limited number of migrants to France, in exchange for one asylum-seeker to the U.K. with family connections or a genuine reason to seek sanctuary. The decision is a major setback for Starmer, who is under pressure to show results on tackling small boats migration. The latest opinion polls show Nigel Farage's Reform UK party leading Labour by 11 points, increasing pressure on the British prime minister over asylum policy. As the situation continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how the government will respond to this latest setback and whether they will be able to deliver on their promises to address the issue of migrants arriving on small boats.
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