First migrants detained under ‘one in, one out’ deal with France

The first migrants have been detained under the UK’s new “one in, one out” deportation deal with France after crossing the English Channel.

Pictures showed the migrants wearing life jackets disembarking from Border Force boats in Dover on Wednesday, the first day the pilot scheme came into force.

The Home Office said those detained will be held in immigration removal centres until they are returned to France.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper did not confirm how many migrants were being held and said she was prepared to resist any legal challenges aimed at preventing their removal to France.

She said: “The transfers to immigration removal centres are under way as we speak, so we won’t provide operational details at this point that criminal gangs can simply use and exploit.

“But no-one should be…