France blames UK for poor teamwork on migration

A FRENCH spending watchdog has criticised Britain for failing to do enough to help prevent small boat crossings.

The French court of auditors claimed the British had not adequately cooperated with France to stop migrants crossing the channel. Intelligence provided to French police by Britain was “very general,” not usable and “very piecemeal”, it claimed

The UK was also failing to pass on sufficient information about the migrants, specifically the boats and engines used by people-smuggling gangs.

The criticism was part of a 141-page report that also revealed flaws in efforts by France to combat illegal migration.

It said France’s interception rate of boats leaving its beaches had changed little in 2021 and 2022, despite the millions of pounds provided by the UK.

Key units combating people-smuggling were underfunded and understaffed. Border officials were criticised for failing to screen, record and store data on migrants entering France illegally. Just 10 per cent of illegal migrants earmarked for expulsion were actually being thrown out of the country.

The Home Office said the auditors’ report was “out of date” and did not “accurately reflect our current working relationship, including intelligencesharing, with France”.

Tim Loughton, a member of the Home Affairs Committee, said: “It is ironic the French authorities are complaining they are not getting enough from UK agencies except for the record £480million subsidy the French police are getting from the British taxpayer.

“They really need to [record and detain] all those entering France illegally rather than blaming others. The British taxpayer is being scammed by the French Government and it is time we saw real results from our subsidies.”