Patel urges cooperation after being shut out of migrant talks

PRITI Patel has discussed the migrant crisis in the English Channel with the Dutch migration minister after being excluded from a wider meeting, thanks to Boris Johnson.

The Home Secretary spoke with Ankie Broekers-Knol by phone yesterday in the wake of 27 people drowning when their boat capsized in the Channel last week, in the worst death toll of the crossing crisis to date.

Ms Patel said she would hold “urgent talks” with other European counterparts in the coming week.

She also said it was “unfortunate” that she was not present as interior ministers from France, the Netherlands, Belgium and the European Commission met in Calais yesterday.

The Home Secretary was “disinvited” after the Prime Minister angered the French hosts by posting a five-point plan of action on Twitter, instead of using agreed diplomatic channels.

President Emmanuel Macron said the plan, which included the UK’S desire to return migrants to France if they made it ashore in England, was not “serious”.

The Home Office said Ms Patel and Ms Ankie Broekers-Knol discussed “ideas for enhanced bilateral and EU cooperation” as well as tackling the criminal gangs behind the migrant boats.

On Twitter, Ms Patel said: “More international co-operation and passing our Borders Bill quickly into law will stop the people smugglers and save lives.”

Writing in the Sun on Sunday, she added: “There should now be an even greater onus on all of us on both sides of the Channel to act. We have a long history of working constructively with our friends across the Channel on shared challenges.”

Labour shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy told Sky News: “France blames Britain, Britain blames France. The truth is that both governments are engaging in a blame game while children drown off our coastline.

“It’s just simply unconscionable and any responsible government on either side of the Channel would set aside those differences and work together to deal with what is a collective problem that will only be solved together.”

The victims of Wednesday’s tragedy included an expectant mother, children and a 24-yearold Kurdish woman from Iraq trying to reunite with her fiance.