Latest news with #TonySmith
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
The anti-migrant technology France is failing to use
France could end the small boats crisis through better use of hi-tech surveillance, US-style marine barriers and missions to intercept dinghies at sea, a former British border chief has said. Tony Smith, an ex-head of the Border Force, said a shift in tactics could plug gaps in the French approach that has led to a fall in the proportion of migrants being stopped from attempting to cross the English Channel to the UK. Only 184, or 13 per cent, of the 1,379 migrants who tried to make the journey on Saturday were prevented from doing so. The 1,195 people who successfully made it to the UK represented the biggest daily total for crossings this year and it was also the fourth highest on record. So far in 2025, 14,812 migrants have crossed the Channel to Britain, a rise of 42 per cent on this time last year. The figure is also the highest for the first five months of a year. So far this year, French officials have intercepted just 38 per cent of people suspected of attempting to make the crossing, down from 45 per cent in 2024, 46.9 per cent in 2023 and 42.4 per cent in 2022. Mr Smith, who helped halt a similar crisis in the early 2000s under Sir Tony Blair's Labour government, said: 'If we got political agreement with the French and brought in the private sector, we could solve all this.' Hi-tech surveillance Satellite imaging, supported by drones with cameras, is now so effective that even at night it can 'zoom in and see what people are having in their sandwiches on the deck of a boat,' said Mr Smith. He said the technology – which formed part of a £478 million Anglo-French deal signed by Rishi Sunak, the former prime minister, to combat migrant crossings – should be able to identify migrants movements and the deployment of boats by people smugglers. The UK also has such technology but cannot use it to help the French without their agreement because of territorial sovereignty, even though it could provide a first line of defence. By tracking migrants' movements, satellite imaging and drones could enable police officers and border officials to be deployed before people smugglers put their dinghies into the water, or at the time of launch, providing an opportunity to intercept them. 'If you get to them before they get into the water, you can disable the vessels before launch. You puncture them. There won't be anybody on board so you are not going to harm anyone. You could seize the vessel,' said Mr Smith. US-style marine barriers People smugglers have recently changed tactics by launching dinghies inland on rivers or waterways before sailing them to beaches to rendezvous with migrants, who are then picked up in shallow waters before setting off for the UK. They are what have become known as 'taxi' boats. In the Rio Grande river, which forms part of the border between the US and Mexico, American officials have deployed large barriers of miles of interlocked smooth buoys which are virtually impossible to climb over or swim under. Such barriers would also block dinghies. The French have deployed pontoons but they have failed to match the effectiveness of those designed, engineered and patented by Cochrane Global, an international company specialising in security barriers. Given that many of the French waterways affected are used by other commercial and leisure operators, any extra barriers would have to be designed with monitored exits and entrances to allow other boats through. They could even be deployed across the coastline to prevent migrant boats from leaving the shallow waters of beaches. Pushing back boats The French government has committed to amending its laws so that police can stop boats at sea for the first time. This will mean officers can use their own vessels in shallow waters to intercept overloaded dinghies. However, there is growing frustration that this plan is yet to be put into action. On Monday, Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, told MPs that she was urging France to complete its review into operational tactics to intercept boats at sea and implement any changes 'as swiftly as possible.' Mr Smith said: 'France has small patrol boats that can get into shallow waters. They could get alongside these boats while the migrants are trying to jump into them and literally push them back and say: 'You cannot get out to sea,' and stop the boats. Their biggest problem is getting them over the first waves and out to sea.' The use of hi-tech surveillance methods mentioned above, such as satellite imaging, would enable French authorities to track migrant vessels and help get their own boats into position for potential pushback operations. French officers have been facing a rising number of violent incidents from people smugglers and migrants while trying to stop them on beaches. However, French ministers are planning to restore the offence of an 'illegal stay' in the country, which would allow the police to arrest migrants and smugglers before they attempt a crossing. Currently, migrants who attempt to make the journey are only considered to have committed an offence when they launch a boat. Joint patrols and returns Mr Smith has consistently called for joint Anglo-French patrols since the small boat crossings grew into a major migration crisis for both governments. Under such proposals, French and British officers, operating jointly on sea and land, would return any migrants to France, even if they were picked up off the coast of England. However, such measures would require a new Anglo-French political agreement because it would otherwise be a breach of territorial sovereignty. To date, France has resisted UK demands for joint patrols for this very reason. But Mr Smith said such a deal could be achieved, citing the example of an agreement between the US and Canada after the 9/11 terror attack, which he helped craft when seconded to the Canadian border force. It instituted joint patrols, with each country's officers having powers of arrest within a defined boundary on either side of the border. 'It would need a readmission agreement with France. Ideally, you have an agreement where it doesn't matter where the migrants are picked up, even if it is within UK waters, you have joint patrols and they are returned to France,' he said. However, he admitted it was unlikely there would be the political will on France's part to agree to such a deal. Nonetheless, Sir Keir Starmer has indicated that Britain is prepared to negotiate a replacement for the Dublin agreement, a mutual returns deal that existed pre-Brexit between the UK and EU. Although limited in scope, it allowed the UK to return migrants to EU countries through which they had previously passed and where they should have claimed asylum.
Edinburgh Live
4 days ago
- Edinburgh Live
Former Scottish Marine relives terrifying attempt to scale Mount Everest
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A Scottish man who attempted to climb Mount Everest as a tribute to his late dad had to turn back within sight of the summit after coming face to face with climbers who had died while trying to reach it. Adventurous Tony Smith, 55, travelled to Nepal to try and scale the world's highest mountain, but the former Royal Marine and retired firefighter was forced to turn back just 800 metres from the hard to reach summit, reports The Daily Record. Tony said: "Several avalanches had raised concerns by the time I got closer to Camp Four, 800 metres short of the final summit. "There had been five fatalities – two of whom I encountered going up – and extreme weather conditions and I had to cancel the attempt. I saw a gentleman crouched down as if he was taking photographs and I thought he was getting some nice pictures. "But as I got closer I could see that he wasn't moving. He was dead, frozen and still attached to a safety line, perfectly preserved in a crouched position. "That startled me. I also passed a gentleman and a lady who were going up and he was concerned and I thought he was helping with his oxygen tank. Later I heard the woman had died. "Another person had reached the summit but died on the way back down and there had been five fatalities." Mount Everest stands at 8848.86 metres. In total, around 350 people have died attempting to climb Everest and the death toll continues to rise each year. Tony flew out on April 7. His trek to the Everest base camp took eight days before he started the climb, which took five weeks. The dad-of-three said: "I had been saving up for 10 years and I had a little money from my dad's inheritance. I saw my dad take his last breath and it made me realise life was short. I thought: 'What am I waiting for?'." Recalling one of the scariest moments of the climb, he said: "On one occasion I put my foot through a crevasse and I went through and plummeted down and fortunately my fall was broken by rocks below. "If you fall into one of those crevasses you're not coming back. There was nothing beneath me other than a 40ft dip. I'd been scaling a cliff face that was 200 metres vertical and I was done in. "I had no oxygen left, the sun was going down and I thought, 'I'm done here'. Fortunately one of the guides came and supplied me with a fresh oxygen tank and pulled me out of the gully. "If he hadn't come and got me I would have been one of those fatalities. That is why I didn't go for the summit." The climb was so. arduous and harrowing that Tony says he has no intention of reliving the experience. Tony, from Ayrshire, added: "The risk while climbing Everest far outweighed my time in Northern Ireland or Iraq. The slopes, the lack of oxygen, getting through some of the rock faces. "I felt like there was more opportunity for me to not return from Everest than from Northern Ireland or Iraq and I wouldn't want to experience that again. If you said, 'Tony, I'll pay your expenses and give you £10,000,' I'd say no thank you!" Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
Daily Record
4 days ago
- General
- Daily Record
Ex-Scots marine quit Mount Everest climb near summit after passing five dead climbers
Tony Smith said he's lucky he also survived the attempt. A Scot who climbed Mount Everest as a tribute to his late dad was forced to turn back within sight of the summit after coming face to face with dead climbers. Adventurous Tony Smith, 55, travelled to Nepal for the attempt to scale the world's highest mountain. But the former Royal Marine and retired firefighter had to give up just 800 metres from the summit. Tony, from Stevenston, Ayrshire, said: "Several avalanches had raised concerns by the time I got closer to Camp Four, 800 metres short of the final summit. "There had been five fatalities – two of whom I encountered going up – and extreme weather conditions and I had to cancel the attempt. I saw a gentleman crouched down as if he was taking photographs and I thought he was getting some nice pictures. "But as I got closer I could see that he wasn't moving. He was dead, frozen and still attached to a safety line, perfectly preserved in a crouched position. "That startled me. I also passed a gentleman and a lady who were going up and he was concerned and I thought he was helping with his oxygen tank. Later I heard the woman had died. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. "Another person had reached the summit but died on the way back down and there had been five fatalities." Mount Everest stands at 8848.86 metres. Around 350 people have died attempting to climb Everest. The death toll continues to increase each year. Tony flew out on April 7. His trek to the Everest base camp took eight days before he started the climb, which took five weeks. Dad-of-three Tony said: "I had been saving up for 10 years and I had a little money from my dad's inheritance. I saw my dad take his last breath and it made me realise life was short. I thought: 'What am I waiting for?'." Recalling one of the scariest moments of the climb, he said: "On one occasion I put my foot through a crevasse and I went through and plummeted down and fortunately my fall was broken by rocks below. "If you fall into one of those crevasses you're not coming back. There was nothing beneath me other than a 40ft dip. I'd been scaling a cliff face that was 200 metres vertical and I was done in. "I had no oxygen left, the sun was going down and I thought, 'I'm done here'. Fortunately one of the guides came and supplied me with a fresh oxygen tank and pulled me out of the gully. "If he hadn't come and got me I would have been one of those fatalities. That is why I didn't go for the summit." The climb was so. arduous and harrowing that Tony says he has no intention of reliving the experience. He added: "The risk while climbing Everest far outweighed my time in Northern Ireland or Iraq. The slopes, the lack of oxygen, getting through some of the rock faces. "I felt like there was more opportunity for me to not return from Everest than from Northern Ireland or Iraq and I wouldn't want to experience that again. If you said, 'Tony, I'll pay your expenses and give you £10,000,' I'd say no thank you!"
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
'You ain't seen nothing yet!': Former UK borders chief warns lengthy queues at EU airports will be WORSE for Brits despite Keir Starmer claiming victory on e-gates as part of his 'reset'
Britons face even longer waits at EU airports in the coming months, a former borders chief said today - despite the PM claiming his Brexit 'reset' will end huge queues. Tony Smith, who was previously director general of UK Border Force, warned about the looming impact of new entry requirments being imposed by Brussels. 'If you think the queues are bad now - you ain't seen nothing yet,' he said of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), which is set to belatedly come into force in October. Mr Smith issued the alert as he dismissed Sir Keir Starmer 's efforts to allow British holidaymakers to use e-gates across the EU as part of his 'reset' deal with the bloc. After a UK-EU summit in London, the PM claimed his wide-ranging agreement with Brussels would include Britons being 'able to use e-gates when they travel to Europe'. Sir Keir said this would 'end those huge queues at passport control' as he hailed his 'common sense' deal with the EU. But the PM also aknowledged that, while a blanket ban is being lifted, it will be down to individual EU countries to implement. 'I urge EU member states now to do it and we will be pressing hard on that… there's no inhibition on this so I want to see it done quickly,' he added. Mr Smith suggested Brits being able to use e-gates on the Continent would make little difference unless it was accompanied by further work to ease the impact of EES. He called for more detail about ministers' efforts to mitigate the effects of the EU's new border measures, adding: 'If there's no movement on that, e-gates won't help.' Speaking alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the PM claimed his wide-ranging agreement with Brussels would include Britons being able to use e-gates EES will be an automated IT system for registering travellers from non-EU countries, including the UK, each time they cross a border into or out of the EU. When it comes into force in October, travellers will need to scan their passports at an automated self-service kiosk prior to crossing the border. This will replace the current manual stamping of passports for visitors to Europe's borderless Schengen area who are not nationals of EU or Schengen countries. The system will register the person's name, type of travel document, biometric data (such as fingerprints) and the date and place of entry and exit. It is likely that British travellers will have their fingerprints and facial images taken the first time they cross a border into the EU, once the new system is in operation. There are fears this will cause huge queues at EU airports, as well as delays at Dover, Folkestone and London's St Pancras station, where French border checks are carried out before people embark on cross-Channel journeys. Luke Petherbridge, director of public affairs at travel trade organisation Abta, said: 'It is vital we continue to see good co-operation between the UK and EU on the introduction of this scheme, to make it as streamlined as possible for UK travellers.' As part of the UK-EU deal reached at London's Lancaster House, it was agreed that Britain and Brussels will 'continue their exchanges on smooth border management for the benefit of their citizens, including the potential use of eGates where appropriate'. A document outlining the agreement added: 'They note that EU citizens can use e-gates in the UK and that there will be no legal barriers to e-gate use for British nationals traveling to and from EU member states after the introduction of the EU Entry/Exit System.' Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, a network of independent travel agents, said the announcement was 'a significant breakthrough for British travellers'. She added: 'The frustrating experience of lengthy border control queues upon arrival has been a persistent challenge for many, so the expanded access to e-gates across Europe comes as a tremendous relief. 'With this streamlined system in place, we anticipate both holidaymakers and business travellers will enjoy a much smoother, more efficient airport experience, allowing them to begin their journeys without unnecessary delays.' Tim Alderslade, chief executive of trade body Airlines UK, said: 'This is excellent news for British holidaymakers and will enable an even smoother passenger experience for families travelling to the EU.' The Government also announced that UK cats and dogs will be able to travel 'more easily' by 'eliminating the need for animal health certificates for every trip'. This is through the introduction of so-called 'pet passports'.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Home Office blows over £60,000 on TVs with satellite channels, Nintendos, PlayStations and other entertainment at Manston migrant processing centre
The Home Office has spent more than £60,000 on entertainment for people detained at the Manston migrant processing centre, including on TVs, PlayStations and Nintendos, it was revealed today. The money purchased TVs with satellite channels, Xboxes and other gaming consoles, as well as newspaper and magazine subscriptions. It comes in the same week that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer toughened up on immigration, giving a speech in which he pledged to drastically reduce net migration to avoid the UK becoming an 'island of strangers'. The Manston facility in Kent typically only holds migrants for up to 48 hours, before they are moved into more suitable accommodation while any asylum claims. The figure comes from a Freedom of Information request concerning the centre, reported by GB News. According to the data, the Home Office spent almost £12,000 on TVs for the Manston over the last three years. The Home Office also spent more than £15,000 on video game consoles, including PlayStations, Nintendos and Xboxes. According to GB News, when combined with newspaper and magazine subscriptions it means some £60,000 has been spent on entertainment for the centre in the last three years. Former Chief Executive of Border Force, Tony Smith, commented: 'In my day, illegal entrants were detained and wherever possible put into a fast-track asylum system with a focus on rapid processing and removal. 'Nowadays migrants know that it's highly unlikely you will ever get removed if you come by boat, and our asylum support system will look after you in a way that's a far cry from the tents of Calais. 'I'm afraid that this simply fuels the pull factor and the smuggling pipeline into the UK, and it will do nothing to achieve the reduction in the arrival numbers that most people want to see.' It comes just days after the Prime Minister insisted in a major speech that he had long believed in wanting to limit the number of new arrivals to Britain and booting out foreign criminals. He warned the country risks becoming an 'island of strangers' and that high migration numbers had caused 'incalculable damage' to public services, housing and the economy. The Government's long-awaited White Paper promised to curb the power of judges to block deportations and to reduce immigration to Britain by 98,000 a year. Under the blueprint, skills thresholds will be hiked and rules on fluency in English toughened. Migrants will also be required to wait 10 years for citizenship rather than the current five, and face deportation for even lower-level crimes. Graduate visas will be reduced to 18 months, and a new levy introduced on income that universities generate from international students. Requirements that sponsoring institutions must meet in order to recruit international students are also being tightened. The Home Office has been contacted for comment.
