No 10 insists migrant returns deal isn't a 'shambles' after court blocks man's removal

Downing Street has insisted its migrant returns strategy with France is not a "shambles" aft the High Court blocked a man's deportation.

Having seen the erstwhile Conservative government's Rwanda strategy run into occupation with the courts, the Labour administration's alternate suffered its ain setback connected Tuesday.

An Eritrean man, who cannot beryllium named for ineligible reasons, was owed to beryllium connected a formation to France this morning.

He brought a ineligible assertion against the Home Office, with lawyers acting connected his behalf saying the lawsuit "concerns a trafficking claim".

They besides said helium had a gunshot coiled to his leg, and would beryllium near destitute if helium was deported.

The Home Office said it was tenable to expect him to person claimed asylum successful France earlier helium reached the UK successful August, but the ruling went successful his favour.

Mr Justice Sheldon granted the antheral a "brief play of interim relief".

While the justice said determination did not look to beryllium a "real risk" helium would look destitution successful France, the trafficking assertion required further interrogation.

He said the lawsuit should instrumentality to tribunal "as soon arsenic is reasonably applicable successful airy of the further representations the claimant […] volition marque connected his trafficking decision".

A Number 10 spokesperson downplayed the development, insisting removals nether the woody with France volition commencement "imminently" and ministers are not powerless successful the look of the courts.

'We told you so'

The aviator strategy was announced to overmuch fanfare successful July, aft Emmanuel Macron made a authorities sojourn to the UK.

Sir Keir Starmer had hoped the statement - which would spot the UK nonstop asylum seekers who person crossed the Channel backmost implicit to France successful speech for migrants with links to Britain - would beryllium much resilient to tribunal challenges than the Tories' Rwanda plan.

He wants the fig of migrants being returned to France to gradually summation implicit the people of the scheme, to deter them from coming successful tiny boats.

The aviator came into unit past period and is successful spot until June 2026.

Tory person Kemi Badenoch was speedy to accidental "we told you so" pursuing Tuesday's tribunal decision, portion Reform UK's Nigel Farage criticised the government's plan.

Mr Farage - who has said helium would deport anyone who arrives successful Britain illegally - said: "Even if the argumentation worked, 1 in, 1 out, and with different 1 in, inactive means positive 1 for everyone that crosses the Channel."

The tiny boats situation represents 1 of the biggest challenges for the caller location secretary, Shabana Mahmood, pursuing her promotion successful Sir Keir's caller reshuffle.

Speaking to Sky News' Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge, Labour adjacent Maurice Glasman backed her to deliver.

Describing the erstwhile justness caput arsenic "very tough", helium said: "She's wholly for real. I've known her for implicit 10 years - she truly wants to spot instrumentality and bid restored."