Latest news with #FranceUK
The Independent
6 days ago
- General
- The Independent
New French patrol boats to address migrant crossings across English Channel
France has agreed to develop a plan to stop small boats at sea by the summer, following criticism of French authorities for allegedly allowing people smugglers to operate like a 'taxi' service. The French government is reportedly expanding its Navy with new patrol boats to intercept migrant boats before they reach the UK, aiming to have the strategy ready before President Macron's visit to London on July 8. The decision follows a surge in crossings, with over 1,000 people crossing the English Channel on Saturday, and reports of French police observing migrants boarding boats. Defence Secretary John Healey criticised France's inaction, stating Britain has 'lost control of its borders,' while Home Secretary Yvette Cooper urged France to intercept migrant boats at sea immediately. A French interior ministry source indicated a desire to change intervention protocols to allow operations in shallow waters, up to 300 metres from the coast, to intercept 'taxi boats,' with the goal of having 'shared guidelines' ready for the July summit; the UK has a £480m deal with France to prevent Channel crossings.
Times
02-06-2025
- General
- Times
UK calls for French crackdown on shallow-water migrant crossings
Britain is pressing France to 'swiftly' close a legal loophole that prevents police from apprehending migrant boats in shallow waters amid growing frustration in government at French inaction. The home secretary told MPs it was 'disgraceful and unacceptable' that more than 1,195 migrants had been able to cross the Channel in 18 boats on Saturday, marking a new daily record high for crossings this year. The French authorities only prevented 184 migrants from making the crossing on Saturday, despite agreeing in February to amend laws to allow police to intercept boats in shallow waters. Yvette Cooper said that she had been in touch with the French interior minister urging him to speed up the change in approach, saying there needed to be 'stronger action' to prevent crossings. 'The gangs are increasingly operating a model where boats are launched from further along the coast and people climb in from the water, exploiting French rules that have stopped their police taking any action in the sea,' she said. 'This is completely unacceptable. The previous government raised this with France for years, but to no avail, and I have raised it with the French government since the summer. 'The French interior minister and the French cabinet have now agreed their rules need to change. A French maritime review is looking at what new operational tactics they will use, and we are urging France to complete this review and implement the changes as swiftly as possible.' British law enforcement agencies are concerned that criminal gangs exploited the fact that French police were focused on the Champions League final in Paris on Saturday. There was widespread disorder in the French capital. French police guidelines currently prevent officers from intervening offshore unless it is to rescue passengers in distress. In practice, the guidelines mean that officers can stop boats leaving the beach by puncturing them but may do nothing once they are in the water unless migrants call for help. In recent years, traffickers have exploited the rules by asking migrants to wade waist-high into the Channel, where they are picked up by dinghies launched from further afield, often from inland canals. The dinghies are piloted by smuggling gang operatives who haul migrants on board with police watching on from the beach. In February, Bruno Retailleau, the French interior minister, indicated that he wanted a change in police doctrine to enable officers to intervene in the water up to 300 metres from the coast. 'We have to review our organisation so that we can board these boats … arriving to pick up migrants,' he said. Le Figaro, the French newspaper, said ministry officials were still working on what are being termed the 'feet in the water' guidelines to implement the policy. However, Le Marin, the French maritime daily, said the proposed change of doctrine had met with fierce opposition, including from local police officers. Among the concerns are logistical issues such as whether officers are safe wearing body armour in the water and how to protect their weapons in the water. Sir Keir Starmer said that the public had 'every right to be angry about small boat crossings'. He claimed that hundreds of boats and engines had been 'seized', raids on illegal working were up and 'almost 30,000 people' had been returned. 'We are ramping up our efforts to smash the people smuggling gangs at source,' he said. However Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, described Starmer's words as 'rubbish', while Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said this year had been the 'worst in history' for illegal immigrants crossing the Channel. 'The government's laughable claims to 'smash the gangs' lies in tatters. They're not smashing gangs, they're smashing records,' he said.
