Drop in ocean

SERIOUS doubts exist over whether small boat crossings will be stemmed by the Government paying an extra £8million a year for France to increase patrols.

But the £63m deal is an acknowledgement that this issue will only be resolved by international co-operation, agreement and action.

Labour leader Keir Starmer’s description of the pact as “a small step in the right direction” accurately expresses its value and the truth is that desperate people aren’t going to suddenly stop risking their lives to reach Britain.

Until legal routes are opened for those found to have legitimate claims once they’ve landed, unscrupulous traffickers will operate. We need an answer the flailing Tories fail to find.