Bardella Says France Will Allow UK 'Pushbacks' and Proposes Major Overhaul of Migration Rules

Jordan Bardella, the 30-year-old leader of France's National Rally and a frontrunner for the 2027 presidency, told The Telegraph he would change French border policy to help the UK tackle small-boat crossings in the English Channel.

In the interview Mr Bardella said he would permit the UK Border Force to carry out so-called "pushbacks" of migrant boats into French waters and favoured joint Franco-British patrols — steps successive UK governments have sought but been unable to implement because France previously refused to accept returned vessels.

Consistency and a "Double Border System"

Arguing for consistency, Mr Bardella said France should allow partners to apply the same border measures it demands for itself. He singled out rescue operations conducted by state-funded NGOs, saying: "NGOs funded by public money go and pick up boats 20 kilometres off the Tunisian or Libyan coast and then Frontex takes them. I'm against this, so I have to be consistent with my principles. I can't defend the notion of pushbacks and then refuse to allow Great Britain to do the same."

He acknowledged that pushbacks are controversial and widely criticised by maritime lawyers and human rights organisations, but said the practice would become less contentious if he introduced what he calls a "double border system" across French and EU frontiers, aimed at stopping migrants before they reach the Channel.

Policy Package and Political Strategy

Mr Bardella said he supported joint Franco-British patrols but argued they would be less necessary once French and European migration rules were overhauled. His proposed policy package includes relocating asylum processing to embassies and consulates abroad, the "systematic expulsion of foreign offenders and criminals", and giving French citizens priority access to social housing and social assistance. He said these measures would make France "the least attractive country for mass immigration in Europe" and would close the Calais route entirely.

He also dismissed the Starmer‑Macron "one‑in, one‑out" migrant swap as a "smokescreen" and a temporary "sticking plaster" that has failed to deter crossings and people-smugglers.

Alliances and Electoral Context

Mr Bardella met Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in London and described the meeting as preparations for governing. He praised Mr Farage as a "pioneer" of Brexit-era politics and said he wanted to reform the EU from within, turning it into a looser alliance of sovereign states that could one day welcome Britain back.

Polls currently put Mr Bardella as the clear favourite to reach the second round of the 2027 presidential election, with around 35–37% support and a lead over other contenders. If Marine Le Pen's electoral ban is lifted next spring, he could face a different dynamic in the race.

Statistics and Criminal Networks

Channel crossings continue to rise: between January and December this year, 39,292 people crossed from France to Britain in small boats, a 16% increase on the previous year. Small-boat arrivals have been the most common method of unlawful entry into the UK since 2020, and most who arrive claim asylum while their cases are assessed.

Separately, investigative reports have exposed worrying activity by criminal networks in northern France, including offers of discounted or free crossings in exchange for swallowing packets of Class A drugs, evidence of coercion of vulnerable migrants into sex, and alleged involvement of some hotelised migrants in drug distribution networks.

Legal and Human Rights Concerns

Human rights organisations and maritime lawyers warn that pushbacks risk breaching international maritime law and asylum protections. Mr Bardella said his reforms would aim to prevent crossings upstream, but the legal and humanitarian implications of any pushback policy would remain a focus of debate.

"I can’t defend the notion of pushbacks and then refuse to allow Great Britain to do the same," Mr Bardella said — a remark that underlines his pledge to alter France's approach to cross-Channel migration.