Keir Starmer told to make one demand at EU 'surrender summit' on Monday

Sir Keir Starmer should urge EU leaders to take back illegal migrants who have applied for asylum on the continent, a charity has declared.

The Refugee Council said a crunch summit in London on Monday is “an important opportunity” to reduce Channel crossings.

A record number of migrants have crossed in small boats this year, heaping more pressure on Britain’s failing asylum system.

The EU has refused to discuss a bespoke migrant returns deal with the UK.

The Refugee Council insisted leaders should agree:

- A mechanism for people to travel safely to the UK from the EU, in a similar way to that which was possible when the UK was part of the Dublin system.5 There should be a focus on family reunion.

- A mechanism for people who have arrived irregularly in the UK to be returned to an EU country if they have an active asylum case under consideration in that country and there is no good reason for their claim to be processed in the UK, such as having family members present.

- A commitment that the UK will take part in solidarity mechanisms where EU Member States do not have capacity to process the prevailing level of asylum claims.

Many migrants waiting in France to cross the Channel have also applied for asylum in countries such as France, Germany and Belgium.

But when they are refused, they move on and try to reach Britain.

The UK and France are discussing a “one-for-one” agreement that will allow asylum seekers to join their family members already in the UK.

In return, illegal migrants who have successfully crossed the Channel will be taken back to France. London and Paris are working on a “pilot scheme” that could later be expanded into a wider European deal.

But critics warned it is unlikely to result in fewer migrants coming to the UK, while some fear the EU may try to force Labour to take in more people through safe and legal routes.

Home Office sources told the Daily Express the first “hurdle” is to test whether a returns deal – either bilateral or even multilateral – is possible “at any scale”.

But this newspaper understands the Government is privately delighted Paris has even begun to discuss a returns deal – after years of refusing to do so.

Labour is scrambling to end the Channel migrant crisis after a surge in electoral support for Nigel Farage and Reform UK.

Arrivals this year are approaching 13,000 - an increase of 40% on 2024.

More than 600 crossed on Monday while the PM was giving a major speech promising a crackdown on immigration.

The surge in numbers threatens to make a mockery of Labour's plan to “smash the gangs”.

Highlighting the scale of the emergency, Mr Farage declared on Sunday: “5 years ago today, I went out into the Channel, exposed the French Navy handovers and predicted a huge wave of illegal migrants.

“Now we learn that terrorists are using this route, and our country faces serious threats.

“No one in the Tory or Labour parties believed me.”