France Reportedly 'Rebuffed' UK Bid to Patrol Its Beaches For Migrants Over 'Sovereignty' Concerns

As over 24,700 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after venturing across the English Channel in small boats – three times the numbers registered in 2020 -“exasperated” Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ordered a Whitehall review into the crossings, with former Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay put in charge of finding solutions.

Sovereignty concerns have prompted France to “rebuff” a British offer to patrol their beaches in an effort to stop the influx of migrants attempting to cross the English Channel, reported the Daily Mail.

With this year's number of illegal crossings now a record-breaking 23,761 - three times the total for 2020 – and 886 people arriving on 20 November alone, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel earlier confirmed ongoing talks over possible joint British-French sea patrols in the Channel.

Patel, who had been warned by Tory MPs of a need to accelerate new immigration plans amid growing voter backlash over perceived “loss of control” of borders, stated in the House of Commons:

“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.”

Responding to a question from Tory MP Craig Mackinlay on whether she had offered the French that UK police, Border Force and “perhaps troops” might patrol the French beaches, Patel was cited by The Telegraph as saying:

“I can put the right honourable gentleman’s mind at ease, I have done exactly that.”

Patel was reportedly told by the French that such a scheme would breach French sovereignty. “They aren’t keen on that,” a source was cited as confirming France’s stance. Former Border Force chiefs and Tory MPs have been suggesting joint patrols as a potential solution to the influx of migrants.

“Up until now the French have been reluctant because their interpretation of maritime law is that they cannot go near the boats unless they are in distress. But it would be a workable solution if you could get the French to agree to it,” Tony Smith, a former Border Force director general, was cited by The Telegraph as saying.

Channel Migrant Crisis

This comes as Priti Patel was warned of the need to speed up new immigration plans, declare the Channel migrant crisis a national emergency and put the migrants in “secure accommodation”, including offshore and new UK centres for processing.

UK Border Force officers help migrants, believed to have been picked up from boats in the Channel, disembark from Coastal patrol vessel "HMC Speedwell", in the port of Dover, on the south-east coast of England on August 9, 2020. - The British government on Sunday appointed a former marine to lead efforts to tackle illegal migration in the Channel ahead of talks with France on how to stop the dangerous crossings. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)

© AFP 2023 / GLYN KIRK

“If you tell the most desperate economic migrants in the world that we will provide a free border service, taxi service across the Channel, we will never deport you, will put you up in a hotel as long as you like, is it any wonder that more and more come?” said Sir Edward Leigh, Tory MP for Gainsborough, who deplored the fact the government had clearly “lost control” over the issue.

At a Commons session Labour’s shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds accused Patel of “empty rhetoric”.

“As the Home Secretary knows, the Government has already spent over £200 million of taxpayers’ money on deals with the French authorities that are not working. The situation is getting worse. The Home Secretary has repeatedly made pledges that the route across the Channel will be made unviable, but as usual with this Government it is all empty rhetoric and broken promises. The Home Secretary has blamed everyone but herself.”

Senior Tories have also reportedly warned that a failure to tackle the migrant issue could result in the rise of a new UKIP-style political party which could cost the Tories their majority at the next general election. In her defence, the UK Home Secretary insisted the government had a long-term plan to address immigration. “This problem will take some time to fix and there is no silver bullet. The only solution is wholescale reform of our asylum system,” said Patel, addressing MPs.

Former Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, has been drafted in to support efforts to stem the flow of migrants arriving on Britain’s shores, as the Prime Minister ordered a Whitehall review into the Channel crossings.

Johnson was reported to be “exasperated” by his Government's failure to address the problem. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said on Monday: “We continue to believe that there is more that can be done on both sides. We are introducing these new powers (in the Nationality and Borders Bill), we will continue to work closely with our French counterparts. By working jointly, we have stopped more than 20,000 migrant attempts so far this year – 400 arrests, 65 convictions. But, absolutely, there is more that can be done to step up this enforcement.”