British-french joint sea patrol considered to stop migrants

BRITAIN and France are in talks to mount joint sea patrols to stop and return Channel migrants, Priti Patel has revealed.

The Home Secretary told MPS the Government was working with the French on the plan, under which the joint patrols would intercept migrants at sea and return them to France.

She also disclosed that France rebuffed her offer to put UK police and Border Force officers on the northern French beaches to reinforce gendarmes “overwhelmed” by the record crossings.

The Home Office confirmed the number of migrants who have reached England is now three times that for the whole of 2020, at more than 25,700 after 886 arrived in the UK on Saturday. This week’s calm weather is expected to see hundreds more make the crossing.

Asked in the Commons by Philip Hollobone, a Tory MP, if she had sought Anglo-french naval patrols, Ms Patel said: “We discuss all options whether naval patrols or alternative patrols.

“It’s not appropriate for me to comment on responsibilities around other government departments on this but there is work taking place with our counterparts and with other departments in Government.”

No agreement has been reached but a government source said the ball was in the French court. “We put everything on the table but the French take things off,” said the source.

Asked by Craig Mackinlay, another Tory MP, if she had offered to allow police, Border Force and “perhaps troops” to patrol the French beaches, she responded: “I can put the right honourable gentleman’s mind at ease, I have done exactly that.” Although a source said: “They aren’t keen on that.”

Joint patrols have been backed by former Border Force chiefs and Tory MPS as a potential solution by demonstrating to the migrants that they could not reach the UK as they will be intercepted.

Tony Smith, a former Border Force director-general, said: “It would be a workable solution if you could get the French to agree to it.”