France urged to ‘get a grip’ as migrant crossings hit record 850 for single day

A RECORD 853 migrants reached the UK on Wednesday, to bring the total Channel crossings this year to more than 21,000, as the UK told France to “get a grip”.

The tally surpassed the previous daily high of 828 on Aug 21. A government source said: “France needs to get a grip. We are going to have to talk to them.”

The surge came in the same week as Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, sanctioned the first instalment of a £54million deal with France to prevent migrants crossing after her counterpart, Gérald Darmanin, the interior minister, pledged to stop all attempts in return for the full payment.

A Home Office spokesman said: “We welcome France’s commitment to work with us to prevent 100 per cent of crossings but it is vital they go further and faster to achieve this.” On Tuesday and Wednesday this week, 1,309 migrants reached British shores, bringing the total to 21,051 this year, dwarfing the 8,417 for the whole of 2020. The French prevented 975 migrants from reaching the UK between Tuesday and Thursday, which means there have been 2,284 attempted crossings this week despite the cold November weather.

Reports last night suggested that Border Force was reluctant to implement the Home Secretary’s plan to push back migrant boats for fears that it could lead to the deaths of more migrants.

It came as a fourth death this week was reported in France.

Police said one migrant had died and three had been injured after a group of migrants was hit by a train in Calais on Thursday night. This week has been the worst for fatalities since last October.

Franck Dhersin, vice-president of the Hauts de France region, said all victims were from Eritrea, adding one of the three injured people was in a state of “absolute emergency”.

Natalie Elphicke, the MP for Dover and Deal, said: “Month after month lives are being lost in the Channel. This is not just tragic, it is wholly avoidable if the French stepped up to the plate and stopped boats leaving in the first place.

“Traffickers will continue to ply their disgusting trade while they are able to do so. It is the responsibility of all civilised countries to put a stop to it.”