Far-Right Parties in Britain and France Sign Memorandum to Halt Small-Boat Crossings

The United Kingdom’s Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, has long campaigned against the “small-boat” migrant arrivals that have entered the country from France. At the same time, France’s National Rally (RN), headed by Jordan Bardella, has intensified its anti-immigration rhetoric, warning that Europe’s current immigration surge is only the beginning. Both parties have recently deepened cooperation, culminating in a signed memorandum that pledges to “stop the boats forever” should they assume power in their respective nations.

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• Jordan Bardella – President of France’s National Rally, who warned that Europe’s immigration wave is only the start.

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• Nigel Farage – Leader of the UK’s Reform UK, who has promoted “Operation Fortress,” a plan to use the Royal Navy and Marines to intercept small vessels.

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The agreement, presented at Reform UK’s Birmingham conference, commits the two parties to intercepting small boats and returning migrants to their point of departure. It also states that migrants arriving in the UK from France would be barred from claiming asylum on the basis that they have already passed through “safe countries.” The document criticises the European Convention on Human Rights, arguing it should not limit sovereign border security measures.

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Bardella asserted that the partnership would enable both parties to “stop the boats” if elected, framing the policy as a response to what he described as a growing immigration wave. Farage, while supporting the memorandum, also reflected on his earlier reluctance to ally with the RN, noting past concerns about prejudice and antisemitism under its former leadership. He now suggests the party has changed sufficiently to cooperate.

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Data released this week indicate that small-boat arrivals in the UK have fallen to a six-year low, with 102 vessels recorded between June and August. Reform UK has linked this decline to its criticism of French border practices, alleging that French authorities in Calais facilitate the departure of migrants toward the UK. The memorandum’s signatories present their joint plan as a means to cement these trends and prevent any future increase.

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