23,000 migrants cross Channel this year... but just FIVE sent back to Europe
A WAR of words erupted between the UK and France last night after it emerged just five out of more than 23,000 migrants who reached Britain by boat this year have been returned to Europe.
It came after Home Secretary Priti Patel this week issued a statement pledging a ‘joint determination’ with the country ‘to prevent 100 per cent of crossings’.
But last night the French embassy in London said 100 per cent ‘should not be presented as an agreed figure’.
The development could mark a deterioration in Anglo-French relations over the crisis after disputes appeared to be resolved in a meeting on Monday between Miss Patel and French interior minister Gerald Darmanin. The embassy tweeted: ‘The 100 per cent figure was not agreed between the Home Secretary and Mr Darmanin and should not be presented as an agreed commitment.’
However, UK Government sources pointed out Mr Darmanin said on October 9 that the two countries ‘should be able to reach 100 per cent if we push resources and if our British friends continue to help us as they are doing now’.
Junior Home Office minister Tom Pursglove disclosed the figure of five returned migrants as he told MPs there had been ‘some difficulties’ in sending asylum seekers back to safe countries.
He insisted that the French authorities had stopped 19,000 people reaching UK waters by dinghy this year.
The Home Affairs Select Committee heard that trafficking gangs are determined to ply the route because they can make as much as 350,000 euros (£294,000) from each crossing.
The revelation came after a record 1,1 5 migrants crossed in a day last week while footage this week showed dinghies setting off from France.