Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s much-touted EU reset deal has failed to secure a migrant-return agreement – the one thing many British voters want most.

Despite recent tough rhetoric on immigration, the deal contains “nothing about a UK-EU migrant-return deal,” according to an EU diplomat.

It is understood that Labour considered taking in resettled refugees from the EU to secure such an agreement before the general election, but backed away following public outcry, The Telegraph reports.

The Prime Minister now faces significant challenges in delivering on immigration promises.

European leaders have rebuffed British attempts to secure bilateral return agreements for migrants.

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that any deal must be struck at European level before France will accept returned small-boat migrants from the UK.

Germany and Belgium have similarly rejected British overtures, insisting negotiations must be conducted with Brussels. The European Commission previously refused to negotiate a replacement for the Dublin agreement during Brexit talks.

An EU-wide deal would require unanimous backing from all 27 member states, with Greece, Italy and Hungary already expressing opposition.

Channel crossings have increased by five per cent year-on-year, reaching 18,100, according to the Frontex border agency.

This stands in stark contrast to the overall trend of illegal immigration into the EU, which dropped by 27 per cent in the first four months of 2025.

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Nearly 47,000 migrants attempted to enter the EU across all main routes during this period, showing a significant decline everywhere except the Channel.

Starmer’s EU reset has secured a defence pact, described as “symbolic in terms of Russia and Ukraine”, and a Swiss-style veterinary deal that could bring a modest 0.1 per cent GDP boost through UK alignment with EU laws on plant and animal health.

In exchange, critics argue the Prime Minister has made Britain an “EU rule-taker”, while also making it easier for young Europeans to live and work in the UK and giving away “long-term access to British fishing waters”.

Starmer’s recent tough stance on immigration, including promises of offshore detention camps for failed asylum seekers, has been described as “a transparent effort to head off the threat of a poll-topping Nigel Farage”.

The Reform UK leader is riding high following an “unprecedented victory in the local elections” that has Labour concerned.

Many voters now view Farage’s Brexit-backing party as “the real opposition rather than the Tories”, putting additional pressure on the Prime Minister to deliver tangible results on immigration control.

Red Wall Brexit voters who are already deserting Labour may look at Starmer’s reset deal with scepticism. Critics suggest the Prime Minister has opted for achievable but modest goals that come with costly concessions for future talks.

The failure to secure a migrant-return agreement while Channel crossings increase could prove politically damaging.

As one EU diplomat described the reset as “very declaratory” about “direction of travel rather than something concrete”, voters might ultimately question “what’s the point of that?”