Farage Bardella Pact on Migrant Returns Signed

Nigel Farage, leader of the populist Reform UK party, and Jordan Bardella, president of France's National Rally, signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday, September 4, 2026, agreeing to return asylum seekers arriving in Britain via small boats back to France. The pact, signed at Reform UK's annual conference in Birmingham, England, is intended to take effect if both parties gain power. The agreement outlines a commitment to pursuing restrictive national immigration policies, including measures to combat illegal work, prohibit legal status for undocumented migrants, and restrict welfare access for those without legal status. Under the terms, Britain would be permitted to intercept boats launched from French shores and return the individuals on board to France. The pact has drawn criticism from several French presidential election candidates. Edouard Philippe, a conservative candidate, described the agreement as a "U-turn" for the National Rally and questioned whether party presidential candidate Marine Le Pen was aligned with Bardella's decision.