Scale of French cops' ineptitude laid bare as nearly FOUR times more migrants made it to UK than they managed to stop

Scottish Sun

a day ago

NEARLY four times as many small-boat migrants made it to Britain in one recent week than the French ­managed to stop, it emerged yesterday.
A total of 703 crossed the Channel in the seven days to June 29 — while French cops stopped just 191.
2
Shocking new Home Office data shows 2,599 migrants made it to Britain in the week to July 5 (stock picture)
Credit: AFP
2
A total of 703 crossed the Channel in the seven days to June 29 — while French cops stopped just 191
Credit: Getty
Shocking new Home Office data shows a further 2,599 migrants made it to Britain in the week to July 5.
That includes 879 people who crossed on June 30 alone, the highest daily figure so far this year.
The damning figures were released days before President Emmanuel Macron arrives for a lavish state visit and crunch talks with Sir Keir Starmer.
The migrant crisis is believed to top the agenda.
The UK has already handed France £480million under a flagship deal but ministers are under pressure to stump up even more to fund extra French police, boats and drones.
Last night Tory MPs and Reform UK demanded No10 halt further payments and suspend French fishing rights until crossings stop.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told The Sun: 'Over 2,500 illegal immigrants have crossed in the last week alone.
'Barely any have been stopped by the French — despite being paid nearly half a billion pounds of our money.
'We should suspend the fishing deal, which the French really care about, until they actually stop the illegal immigrants.'
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said: 'It's clear that Labour aren't serious about stopping the boats.
French cops SLASH small boat & drag it to shore as conveniently placed BBC crew film scene
'They're wasting millions of pounds on deals that have only increased the numbers coming over.
'We shouldn't send another penny to France while they allow this invasion to continue.
'The solution is simple.
'We need to leave the European Convention on Human Rights and return the boats back to France.'
Figures for the seven days to June 29 showed that 11 attempted crossings were foiled — stopping 191 migrants.
However, last Friday police with knives slashed a packed inflatable dinghy off the coast near Boulogne-sur-Mer to sink it before it could set off.
Dozens of migrants had to wade back to shore.
The new tactic is understood to be a precursor to wider changes in French maritime law allowing officers to intercept and disable boats in shallow waters before they reach open sea.
Officers on jet skis have also been laying nets designed to jam dinghy propellers.
The moves are aimed at countering so-called 'taxi boats,' where traffickers launch vessels from rivers or canals and pick up migrants offshore to dodge beach patrols.
President Macron and French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau are expected to discuss the crackdown at this week's UK-France summit before it is formally rolled out later this month.
But it was unclear if a long-awaited 'one in, one out' returns deal will be ready in time.
It would see illegal arrivals sent back to France in exchange for Britain accepting legal asylum seekers.
British and French officials are scrambling to finalise terms before Mr Macron lands in London on Tuesday.
Sir Keir is pushing to announce the deal at the summit as a 'game-changer' — but opposition from five Mediterranean nations has delayed talks.
The Home Office said: 'We all want to end dangerous small-boat crossings that undermine our border security and put lives at risk.
'Smuggling gangs do not care if the people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay.
'We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.
'Through international intelligence-sharing under our Border Security Command and tougher legislation in the Borders Bill, we are boosting our ability to identify and dismantle criminal gangs.'