Nigel Farage has been accused of parading a "meaningless document packed with daft and dangerous ideas" in front of Reform supporters as he pledged to stop small boats.
The Reform UK leader signed an agreement with Jordan Bardella, president of France's National Rally party, on the stage of the Reform Party conference in Birmingham. The memorandum of understanding states France would "ordinarily" accept returns of migrants intercepted in British waters if the party comes to power.
Vague wording questioned
Mr Farage later faced questions about the vague wording of the deal, insisting it was "legalese". The agreement, which is not legally binding, says: "The United Kingdom will intercept boats which have launched from French shores and entered British territorial waters and will return the persons on board to France. France will ordinarily accept these persons, who will be repatriated to their home country in accordance with the law in force in France concerning expulsion."
It is unclear what the exemptions would be. Quizzed at a press conference, Mr Farage said: "On the word, this is legalese. This is legalese, you know." He then pointed to success in Australia at removing incentives for traffickers.
Reform claims deal enables Navy plan
Reform claimed the agreement, which relies on Marine Le Pen's National Rally party coming to power in France, would make its plan to dispatch the Royal Navy in the Channel feasible.
Labour dismisses agreement as posturing
A Labour statement said: "Far from being a serious plan, this is a meaningless document packed with daft and dangerous ideas, signed by an increasingly disgraced Reform leader and an opposition politician. It is nothing more than pointless posturing.
"This Labour government is focused on the hard work required to restore control at our border and deliver a fairer migration system. That work is bearing fruit, with small boat crossings at their lowest level in years, and we continue to work closely with the French to go further.
"This latest stunt is yet more desperate deflection from Reform, as questions continue to mount over Nigel Farage's reported £5 million 'gift' and the police investigation into the party's finances. Reform UK is bursting at the seams with sleaze and scandal, and no publicity stunt can distract from the serious questions facing its leader."
