Small-boat arrivals ‘will get one shot at asylum’: Yvette Cooper doubles down on controversial migrants return deal

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is planning to double down on Labour’s controversial migrants return deal by banning repeat offenders from claiming asylum.

Home Office sources said that any boat migrant who has been returned to France and then made a crossing again would not be able to apply for asylum.

Their identities would also be stored on a biometric database. A source said: ‘At about £3,000 a crossing it would be a total waste of money for them to try again.’

Ms Cooper has refused to say how many of the thousands arriving in Britain by dinghy will actually be removed under the ‘one in, one out’ scheme.

Human-rights campaigners have said they will support court challenges brought by small-boat arrivals, while the EU says it is assessing whether the scheme complies with the ‘spirit and the letter of the law’.

Ms Cooper is also facing calls to extend the biometric testing into an effective revival of Sir Tony Blair’s abandoned ID card plans, to stop migrants working illegally.

In May, the Home Office’s immigration white paper promised to roll out ‘digital identity for all overseas citizens’ to improve border management and ‘enforcement against illegal working and misuse’.

But there are increasing signs that ID cards could now be introduced for all citizens – not just migrants.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer earlier this week confirmed a new trial scheme would come into effect within weeks, at a press conference alongside his ‘friend’ Emmanuel Macron

However on the day the deal was agreed, more dinghies full of migrants were seen attempting to cross the Channel 

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper (pictured on July 10) is planning to double down on Labour ‘s controversial migrants return deal by banning repeat offenders from claiming asylum

Last month, Downing Street was said to be looking ‘very closely’ at a so-called ‘BritCard’ that could be used to check on an individual’s right to live and work in this country.

And yesterday, Labour MPs told the Mail on Sunday that on the back of the ‘one in, one out’ deal with France, now was the time to revive a modern version of those plans.

Bury North MP James Firth said: ‘There is considerable merit in revisiting digital ID now, given how far technology and public confidence in digitisation have come since this was last considered in our politics.

‘From online banking to NHS apps, people are increasingly comfortable with secure digital services.’

He added: ‘In light of the new returns deal with France and efforts to strengthen the integrity of our asylum system, a carefully-designed digital ID could help protect access to public services, prevent abuse, and ensure faster, fairer support for those who need it.’

East Thanet MP Polly Billington said: ‘Digital ID cards are completely normal in most countries and go a long way to prevent migrants without legal status from accessing public services or working in the illicit economy, where they undercut the wages of legal workers.’

Ms Billington added: ‘That’s why I’m supporting this call from Labour MPs for the government to make this pragmatic change, so that we can secure our borders and disincentivise people from making these dangerous journeys across the Channel.’

Last night, Labour peer Maurice Glasman – founder of the ‘Blue Labour’ movement – also gave the idea his backing.

Labour peer Maurice Glasman – the founder of the ‘Blue Labour’ movement – also gave his backing to the idea of banning those already sent back once from attempting to claim asylum a second time

Underlining the challenge of the Channel crisis, migrants were pictured struggling in the mud at Gravelines on the French coast on July 10, 2025

Only last week, Sir Alex Younger – former chief of MI6 – said he backed the creation of a British ID card.

He told BBC Newsnight: ‘It’s absolutely obvious to me that people should have a digital identity.

‘And in that context, the grey labour force won’t exist and we’ve removed a pull factor.’

And John Vine, former chief inspector of borders and immigration, said the decision by the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition government to abandon ID card plans drawn up under the Blair government ‘in hindsight, was a big mistake’.