Nigel Farage has announced a deal with France's hard-right National Rally (RN) party aimed at returning migrants who cross the English Channel in small boats, should both political groups gain power.

The agreement, signed at Reform UK's annual conference in Birmingham, outlines a plan for France to accept intercepted boats and repatriate the individuals to their home countries. This follows Reform UK's earlier announcement of a strategy to intercept boats and return migrants to French ports using the Royal Navy.

RN President Jordan Bardella, whose party is currently leading in French opinion polls, signed the memorandum of understanding. Bardella stated that an RN government would work to prevent France from being a gateway for illegal migration into the United Kingdom. He also hailed Farage as a potential future prime minister and pledged cooperation between their parties on tackling illegal migration.

The memorandum is a political document but could form the basis of a future legal agreement between governments. It proposes that the UK would intercept boats launched from French shores that enter British territorial waters and return the occupants to France, which would then 'ordinarily accept' them for repatriation.

Farage described the deal as a historic step that would 'stop the boats forever' and break the business model of human traffickers. He stated that achieving this goal within the first 100 days of a Reform government is a key pledge. When questioned about the wording 'ordinarily accept,' Farage characterized it as 'legalese,' asserting that the proposals would eliminate any incentive for migrants to pay traffickers for Channel crossings.

This initiative has drawn criticism. The French government under Emmanuel Macron previously denounced Reform UK's plan to use the Navy for returns, deeming it a violation of French sovereignty and international law. Opposition parties in the UK have also labeled the plan as unworkable.

Labour has pointed to increased cooperation with France, including additional officers on French beaches and funding for prevention efforts, as factors contributing to a fall in small boat crossings. The UK government also previously signed a 'one in, one out' deal allowing some returns to France in exchange for accepting a similar number of asylum seekers from French territory.

The RN's strong performance in French opinion polls suggests the potential for this cross-channel political alignment to influence future migration policies in both nations, although its practical implementation faces significant political and legal hurdles.