After months of pressure from Britain, France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel. The move comes after Keir Starmer wrote a letter urging Emmanuel Macron to support the proposal, telling the French leader that we ‘have no effective deterrent’ for migrants hoping to get to the UK illegally by sea. As reported by Le Monde, Starmer insisted: ‘It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month.’
France will intervene only before traffickers have picked up passengers
The plan will see French security forces allowed to stop the small boats while they’re at sea, the caveat being that France will intervene only before traffickers have picked up passengers. Previously, French police tended not to stop overcrowded boats leaving their shores over claims that the risk would be too great for both officers and civilians. Now, however, maritime police have confirmed they will start focusing on boats at sea – though a spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to snarl vessel propellors. It remains unclear what methods police will use to stop the boats – and currently strong winds and poor weather conditions are delaying interceptions.
The move shows significant progress: while former interior minister Bruno Retailleau had been a firm supporter of interceptions at sea, he was restrained by the country’s maritime policing rules. The summer saw a more aggressive approach from the French, with footage emerging of police wading into the sea to slash boats destined for the UK. But a lull followed, leaving the British side surprised by the time it was taking to counter the policing laws Retailleau had identified as being obstructive.
The announcement comes as reports show that net migration fell to 204,000 in the year to June, reaching the lowest annual level since 2021. The government is now hopeful that shallow water interventions will help its efforts to curb the numbers of illegal migrants arriving on Britain’s beaches. Yet people smuggling gangs will no doubt be looking for new ways to adapt to the change so they can continue trafficking people to the UK.