French law enforcement agencies, who have received financial support from the UK, have recently been seen using a new patrol vehicle, while migrants attempt to cross the channel on small boats. This development comes as the influx of refugees seeking a new life in Britain has reached an all-time high of 20,000 since the start of 2025.
Many critics argue that the £500 million in funds that the UK has provided to France has only resulted in French beaches becoming conduits for the illegal crossings, sarcastically labeling them ‘the world’s priciest colander’. Images have surfaced of patrol officers with jeeps, ATVs, and drones on the beach.
Meanwhile, human traffickers are launching an increasing number of dinghies from these very beaches. On a single day in the current week, the UK saw an arrival of 879 individuals, marking the third-largest recorded inflow in a single day for 2025.
Patrols were seen at various locations including Gravelines, close to Dunkirk, and Équihen, west of Calais. However, despite these measures, data from the Home Office suggests that the current situation is deteriorating significantly, with a 48% increase compared to this time last year and a soaring 75% leap from 2023.
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, voiced his concern, stating that an unprecedented number of young men sans documentation have appeared on British shores this year. He criticized the French border control measures as ineffective, calling the situation a national catastrophe.
Mr. Farage also highlighted the economic impact and security threat, saying that the incoming migrants are straining the country’s finances and potentially endangering public safety. He also predicted that under what he claims is the weakest leadership the country has ever seen, the problem is only set to escalate.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have set a meeting in the forthcoming week, scheduled to take place in London. The agenda of their discussion will reportedly focus on discussing potential solutions to curb the channel crossings.
Worth noting is that the original agreement for funding French beach patrols was made by the former Conservative government, with the UK pledging nearly £500 million to fortify patrol efforts. The funds have since been used for surveillance drones, law enforcement vehicles, and riot vans. The current government under Sir Keir has chosen to uphold this commitment.
The State visit will also serve as an occasion to announce a new migrant return policy. Under this ‘one in, one out’ model, Channel arrivals will be sent back to France while the UK will allow migrants eligible for family reunion to remain in the country.
However, this proposed solution has received criticism from the Conservative Party, who have dismissed it as impractical and advocated for the reinstatement of their Rwanda scheme. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp lambasted the Labour government, claiming that even a year in power has seen an increase in boat arrivals rather than a decline.
Mr. Philp argues that the country is in dire need of an effective removal system to deter illegal immigrants – one that removes arrivals to a destination outside of Europe. He believes that this approach will promptly put a halt to the crossings.
Amid this criticism, there has been an increased demand from several quarters for PM Starmer to act upon his promise of eradicating smuggling networks. However, a spokesperson from Downing Street claimed that such international criminal operations cannot be dismantled overnight.
The spokesperson also admitted that the current number of arrivals is unacceptably high, adding that policies of the past have allowed powerful smuggling rings to set up shop throughout Europe. He further pointed out that the existing asylum system has fallen into ruins due to those same policies.
The claim was that these criminal networks are draining the country’s resources, compromising security and posing potential threats to the country’s safety. According to the spokesperson, under the current weak leadership, the situation is likely to worsen.
Despite acknowledging the gravity of the problem and tacitly critiquing their own policies, the spokesperson stated that action is being taken. Efforts are now reportedly underway to address the challenges such as arrests of gang leaders and the seizure of thousands of boats used in smuggling operations.
The spokesperson concluded by emphasizing the UK’s commitment to working more closely with France and other international partners to tackle this serious issue and put an end to the illegal crossings and the associated concerns.
The post Rising Migrant Crossings Prompt UK-France Talks Amid Criticism appeared first on Real News Now.
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