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Leader Live
30 minutes ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
Hundreds of migrants cross Channel in small boats
At least six boats left France in the first attempted crossings to reach the UK in a week. French police officers watched as migrants, including children, boarded at a beach in Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk, in the morning. Authorities were then pictured escorting the boats. France has agreed to change its rules so police can prevent people in the water from getting on to boats, but this has not yet come into effect, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said in recent weeks. She has been urging the French to make the changes so their maritime forces can intervene in shallow waters as soon as possible, it is understood. 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.' The coastguard reportedly issued an appeal for fishing boats to assist a yacht and kayaks in trouble in the Channel as it responded to small boats. Co-ordinating multiple simultaneous incidents is 'not unusual', the coastguard said, stressing that 'at no time was public safety compromised'. 'In line with standard procedure, coastguard operations centres may contact vessels in the vicinity of an incident, including fishing boats, to provide assistance if they are best placed to help, regardless of other ongoing operations. 'This is routine practice and does not indicate an absence of search and rescue assets.' 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 spokesperson said: '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. 'Through international intelligence sharing under our Border Security Command, enhanced enforcement operations in northern France and tougher legislation in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, we are strengthening international partnerships and boosting our ability to identify, disrupt and dismantle criminal gangs whilst strengthening the security of our borders.' The Home Secretary previously said gangs have been taking advantage of a higher number of calm weather days to make the journey. UK temperatures hit 26C on Saturday, wrapping up the sunniest spring on record. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said boats were 'flooding the channel', with Border Force 'stretched beyond breaking point, and even fishing vessels drafted in because our maritime rescue services are overwhelmed'. 'A nation reduced to chaos on the high seas while Keir Starmer hides behind platitudes and process. 'Labour has completely lost control of our borders. Their pledge to smash gangs in tatters. They scrapped the Rwanda deterrent before it even began and now the boats won't stop coming. 'So far, this is already the worst year on record. Labour have failed on every front, and Britain is paying the price. This is a day of shame for Labour.'
The Herald Scotland
33 minutes ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Hundreds of migrants cross Channel in small boats
French police officers watched as migrants, including children, boarded at a beach in Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk, in the morning. Authorities were then pictured escorting the boats. France has agreed to change its rules so police can prevent people in the water from getting on to boats, but this has not yet come into effect, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said in recent weeks. She has been urging the French to make the changes so their maritime forces can intervene in shallow waters as soon as possible, it is understood. 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.' Yvette Cooper (James Manning/PA) The coastguard reportedly issued an appeal for fishing boats to assist a yacht and kayaks in trouble in the Channel as it responded to small boats. Co-ordinating multiple simultaneous incidents is 'not unusual', the coastguard said, stressing that 'at no time was public safety compromised'. 'In line with standard procedure, coastguard operations centres may contact vessels in the vicinity of an incident, including fishing boats, to provide assistance if they are best placed to help, regardless of other ongoing operations. 'This is routine practice and does not indicate an absence of search and rescue assets.' 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 spokesperson said: '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. French authorities escort a small boat leaving the beach at Gravelines (Gareth Fuller/PA) 'Through international intelligence sharing under our Border Security Command, enhanced enforcement operations in northern France and tougher legislation in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, we are strengthening international partnerships and boosting our ability to identify, disrupt and dismantle criminal gangs whilst strengthening the security of our borders.' The Home Secretary previously said gangs have been taking advantage of a higher number of calm weather days to make the journey. UK temperatures hit 26C on Saturday, wrapping up the sunniest spring on record. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said boats were 'flooding the channel', with Border Force 'stretched beyond breaking point, and even fishing vessels drafted in because our maritime rescue services are overwhelmed'. 'A nation reduced to chaos on the high seas while Keir Starmer hides behind platitudes and process. 'Labour has completely lost control of our borders. Their pledge to smash gangs in tatters. They scrapped the Rwanda deterrent before it even began and now the boats won't stop coming. 'So far, this is already the worst year on record. Labour have failed on every front, and Britain is paying the price. This is a day of shame for Labour.'
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hundreds of migrants cross Channel in small boats
Hundreds of migrants are thought to have crossed the English Channel in small boats on Saturday. At least six boats left France in the first attempted crossings to reach the UK in a week. French police officers watched as migrants, including children, boarded at a beach in Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk, in the morning. Authorities were then pictured escorting the boats. France has agreed to change its rules so police can prevent people in the water from getting on to boats, but this has not yet come into effect, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said in recent weeks. She has been urging the French to make the changes so their maritime forces can intervene in shallow waters as soon as possible, it is understood. 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.' The coastguard reportedly issued an appeal for fishing boats to assist a yacht and kayaks in trouble in the Channel as it responded to small boats. Co-ordinating multiple simultaneous incidents is 'not unusual', the coastguard said, stressing that 'at no time was public safety compromised'. 'In line with standard procedure, coastguard operations centres may contact vessels in the vicinity of an incident, including fishing boats, to provide assistance if they are best placed to help, regardless of other ongoing operations. 'This is routine practice and does not indicate an absence of search and rescue assets.' 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 spokesperson said: '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. 'Through international intelligence sharing under our Border Security Command, enhanced enforcement operations in northern France and tougher legislation in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, we are strengthening international partnerships and boosting our ability to identify, disrupt and dismantle criminal gangs whilst strengthening the security of our borders.' The Home Secretary previously said gangs have been taking advantage of a higher number of calm weather days to make the journey. UK temperatures hit 26C on Saturday, wrapping up the sunniest spring on record. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said boats were 'flooding the channel', with Border Force 'stretched beyond breaking point, and even fishing vessels drafted in because our maritime rescue services are overwhelmed'. 'A nation reduced to chaos on the high seas while Keir Starmer hides behind platitudes and process. 'Labour has completely lost control of our borders. Their pledge to smash gangs in tatters. They scrapped the Rwanda deterrent before it even began and now the boats won't stop coming. 'So far, this is already the worst year on record. Labour have failed on every front, and Britain is paying the price. This is a day of shame for Labour.'
North Wales Chronicle
37 minutes ago
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Hundreds of migrants cross Channel in small boats
At least six boats left France in the first attempted crossings to reach the UK in a week. French police officers watched as migrants, including children, boarded at a beach in Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk, in the morning. Authorities were then pictured escorting the boats. France has agreed to change its rules so police can prevent people in the water from getting on to boats, but this has not yet come into effect, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said in recent weeks. She has been urging the French to make the changes so their maritime forces can intervene in shallow waters as soon as possible, it is understood. 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.' The coastguard reportedly issued an appeal for fishing boats to assist a yacht and kayaks in trouble in the Channel as it responded to small boats. Co-ordinating multiple simultaneous incidents is 'not unusual', the coastguard said, stressing that 'at no time was public safety compromised'. 'In line with standard procedure, coastguard operations centres may contact vessels in the vicinity of an incident, including fishing boats, to provide assistance if they are best placed to help, regardless of other ongoing operations. 'This is routine practice and does not indicate an absence of search and rescue assets.' 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 spokesperson said: '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. 'Through international intelligence sharing under our Border Security Command, enhanced enforcement operations in northern France and tougher legislation in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, we are strengthening international partnerships and boosting our ability to identify, disrupt and dismantle criminal gangs whilst strengthening the security of our borders.' The Home Secretary previously said gangs have been taking advantage of a higher number of calm weather days to make the journey. UK temperatures hit 26C on Saturday, wrapping up the sunniest spring on record. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said boats were 'flooding the channel', with Border Force 'stretched beyond breaking point, and even fishing vessels drafted in because our maritime rescue services are overwhelmed'. 'A nation reduced to chaos on the high seas while Keir Starmer hides behind platitudes and process. 'Labour has completely lost control of our borders. Their pledge to smash gangs in tatters. They scrapped the Rwanda deterrent before it even began and now the boats won't stop coming. 'So far, this is already the worst year on record. Labour have failed on every front, and Britain is paying the price. This is a day of shame for Labour.'
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Coastguard ‘overloaded with migrant rescues' send SOS to fishermen
Coastguards issued an appeal for fishing boats to assist a yacht and kayaks in trouble in the Channel because all Border Force vessels and lifeboats were overloaded rescuing migrants. The appeal was put out over the radio on Saturday as Border Force, the Coastguard, RNLI and French vessels dealt with an estimated 15 small boats packed with migrants attempting the perilous crossing. The contingency move provided breathing space for rescue services to be deployed at a later point to the kayaks and the yacht, which had issued an alert as it was taking on water. Saturday was expected to be a potential record day for 2025 after a week of bad weather, with initial estimates suggesting it could exceed the 828 migrants who crossed in one day earlier in May, the highest total so far this year. Two patrol aircraft, four out of the five Border Force vessels, seven French vessels, including Abeille Normandie, Ridens, Oyapock, and a warship, and two lifeboats were deployed on Saturday morning as hundreds of migrants launched their dinghies. Some 13,671 migrants have so far crossed the Channel this year, the highest number in the period since the first migrants arrived on small boats in 2018. It is 30 per cent up on last year. Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, has suggested that the number of crossings has surged because of the higher number of good weather 'red days' so far in 2025. The Telegraph revealed on Friday that France has so far intercepted fewer than 40 per cent of Channel migrants this year, the lowest proportion since the first small boats arrived, despite a £480 million funding deal with Britain to help stop crossings. Ministers believe that a series of legal changes in France and Germany will, however, stem the flow of migrants. The French have amended laws so police can stop boats at sea for the first time. It will enable police to use their own boats in shallow waters to take on people-smugglers carrying migrants in overloaded vessels. French ministers are also planning to restore the offence of an 'illegal stay' in France, which would allow the police to arrest migrants and smugglers before they attempt a crossing. Currently, migrants who attempt to cross the Channel are only considered to have committed an offence when they launch the boat. Germany – where many of the migrant boats are stored before being deployed to the French coast – is also tightening its law to make it easier to prosecute those helping to smuggle migrants to the UK. Facilitating people-smuggling is not technically illegal in Germany if it is to a third country outside the EU which, following Brexit, includes the UK. Under the new agreement, Germany has pledged to make the activity a clear criminal offence. A Home Office spokesman said: '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. 'Through international intelligence sharing under our Border Security Command, enhanced enforcement operations in northern France and tougher legislation in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, we are strengthening international partnerships and boosting our ability to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal gangs whilst strengthening the security of our borders.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
