Healey slams ‘shocking' scenes of smugglers picking up migrants ‘like a taxi'
The Defence Secretary has pointed the finger at French authorities after 'shocking' images of migrants being picked up by smugglers 'like a taxi' to be brought to the UK.
Hundreds of migrants are thought to have crossed the English Channel in small boats on Saturday, with at least six boats spotted leaving beaches in France.
French police officers were seen watching as migrants, including children, boarded at a beach in Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk, and authorities were then pictured escorting the boats.
French authorities said they rescued 184 people and that numerous boat departures were reported.
'Pretty shocking, those scenes yesterday,' John Healey told the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme on Sky News.
'Truth is, Britain's lost control of its borders over the last five years, and the last government last year left an asylum system in chaos and record levels of immigration.'
The Defence Secretary said it is a 'really big problem' that French police are unable to intervene to intercept boats in shallow waters.
'We saw the smugglers launching elsewhere and coming around like a taxi to pick them up,' he added.
He said the UK is pressing for the French to put new rules into operation so they can intervene.
'They're not doing it, but, but for the first time for years, for the first time, we've got the level of co-operation needed.
'We've got the agreement that they will change the way they work, and our concentration now is to push them to get that into operation so they can intercept these smugglers and stop these people in the boats, not just on the shore.'
The highest number of arrivals recorded on a single day so far this year was 825 on May 21.
This year is on course to set a record for Channel crossings, with more than 13,000 people having arrived so far, up 30% on this point last year, according to analysis of the data by the PA news agency.
Sir Keir Starmer's Government has pledged to crack down on small boat crossings including with measures targeting smuggling gangs.
A Home Office source said: 'We have developed strong co-operation with the French and it is important that they have agreed to disrupt these boats once they're in the water – and not just on the shore.
'This vital step now needs to be operationalised to protect border security and save lives.'
A Home Office spokesperson pointed to measures to share intelligence internationally, enhance enforcement operations in northern France and introduce tougher rules in its immigration legislation.
'We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security.
'The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die as long as they pay, and we will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.
'That is why this Government has put together a serious plan to take down these networks at every stage.'
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