Nov 29, 2025 02:14 AM
Tell us something we don't know: Starmer admits 'we have no effective deterrent in the Channel' as French police agree to intercept boats in the water - but only if they're empty
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...water.html
EXCERPTS: France is belatedly to make limited attempts to stop migrant dinghies at sea – after Keir Starmer privately admitted there was ‘no effective deterrent’.
The astonishing admission has emerged in a leak to a French newspaper, showing the British Prime Minister has begged for action to halt the rising numbers of small boats crossing the Channel.
More than 60,000 migrants have arrived in Britain via dinghy since Labour’s election last year. One of Sir Keir’s first acts was to abandon the Conservative deterrent plan of flying all small boat arrivals to Rwanda.
His own policy of deporting a small proportion of such illegals back across the Channel has seen only 153 go back - with, farcically, at least two of THEM immediately returning to England. And 134 ‘legitimate’ migrants have been flown here in return.
Crucially, since the small-boat crossings began in 2018, France has refused to intervene against dinghies or migrants in water as little as ankle deep, through fear of drownings. Only now is action to begin, following Sir Keir’s desperate plea – but safety remains paramount.
Papers leaked to France’s Le Monde newspaper suggest dinghies will only be stopped while relatively empty, and the rubber boats will not be slashed. Neither will they be snagged in nets. Downing Street added that any action would only take place in the shallows.
[...] Embarrassingly for Sir Keir, the leak quotes a letter he sent French president Emmanuel Macron pleading: ‘It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month,’ adding, ‘We do not have an effective deterrent in the Channel.’
Yet exactly how far the Maritime Gendarmerie will go remains undefined, with the leaked document saying: ‘The unprecedented nature and sensitivity of these operations necessitate adaptability and flexibility,’ continuing ‘the absolute and unwavering priority is safeguarding human life’.
A Maritime Gendarmerie source told the BBC dinghies would only be stopped at sea before picking up passengers. [...] French police unions are wary of both endangering migrants at sea – possibly leading to manslaughter charges – and of the drowning risk to officers.
A source at police union Alliance said: ‘People don’t seem to realise how dangerous it is to try and carry out arrests at sea, while trying to force a boat to change course..." (MORE - missing details)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...water.html
EXCERPTS: France is belatedly to make limited attempts to stop migrant dinghies at sea – after Keir Starmer privately admitted there was ‘no effective deterrent’.
The astonishing admission has emerged in a leak to a French newspaper, showing the British Prime Minister has begged for action to halt the rising numbers of small boats crossing the Channel.
More than 60,000 migrants have arrived in Britain via dinghy since Labour’s election last year. One of Sir Keir’s first acts was to abandon the Conservative deterrent plan of flying all small boat arrivals to Rwanda.
His own policy of deporting a small proportion of such illegals back across the Channel has seen only 153 go back - with, farcically, at least two of THEM immediately returning to England. And 134 ‘legitimate’ migrants have been flown here in return.
Crucially, since the small-boat crossings began in 2018, France has refused to intervene against dinghies or migrants in water as little as ankle deep, through fear of drownings. Only now is action to begin, following Sir Keir’s desperate plea – but safety remains paramount.
Papers leaked to France’s Le Monde newspaper suggest dinghies will only be stopped while relatively empty, and the rubber boats will not be slashed. Neither will they be snagged in nets. Downing Street added that any action would only take place in the shallows.
[...] Embarrassingly for Sir Keir, the leak quotes a letter he sent French president Emmanuel Macron pleading: ‘It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month,’ adding, ‘We do not have an effective deterrent in the Channel.’
Yet exactly how far the Maritime Gendarmerie will go remains undefined, with the leaked document saying: ‘The unprecedented nature and sensitivity of these operations necessitate adaptability and flexibility,’ continuing ‘the absolute and unwavering priority is safeguarding human life’.
A Maritime Gendarmerie source told the BBC dinghies would only be stopped at sea before picking up passengers. [...] French police unions are wary of both endangering migrants at sea – possibly leading to manslaughter charges – and of the drowning risk to officers.
A source at police union Alliance said: ‘People don’t seem to realise how dangerous it is to try and carry out arrests at sea, while trying to force a boat to change course..." (MORE - missing details)