The EU has rejected Britain’s attempts to create a new migrant returns agreement, which Rishi Sunak hoped would help to tackle the small boats crisis.
A European Commission official told Britain’s national security adviser this year that it was not open to a new readmission deal, according to official notes of the meeting seen by The Times.
Sunak hopes to return Channel migrants to European countries in which they had previously claimed asylum. Labour has also said it will seek to negotiate a new returns agreement with the EU if it wins the next election.
Despite six migrants having died in the Channel on Saturday, about 100 people were rescued by the Border Force while crossing in two dinghies yesterday.
The deaths have focused