French riot police in early morning clash with migrants in coastal town
The scene between the men – two seen by PA wearing life jackets – and the Gendarmerie and Police Nationale officers, who were equipped with shields, helmets and tear gas, lasted for about 20 minutes at around 5.30am.
The clashes occurred early on Friday in Gravelines, northern France (Gareth Fuller/PA)
It came after migrants were filmed running into the water and boarding a dinghy at Gravelines beach on Thursday morning.
More than 22,500 people have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel so far in 2025, a record for this point in the year.
Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed a one in, one out migrant returns deal in a bid to crack down on the crossings and the people smuggling gangs who operate them.
Sir Keir met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday where he also praised Berlin's plans to strengthen laws to disrupt small boat crossings by the end of the year.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
12 minutes ago
- Reuters
Trump says he is reducing 50 day deadline for Russia deadline
TURNBERRY, Scotland, July 28 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said he was reducing the 50 day deadline he gave Russia over its war in Ukraine, saying he was disappointed in Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I'm disappointed in President Putin," he said, speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer ahead of their meeting in Scotland. "I'm going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number." He did not give a new deadline.
Leader Live
14 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Minister insists fuel supplies not under threat despite oil refinery closure
State Oil – the parent company of Prax Group, which owns the Lindsey refinery in North Lincolnshire – collapsed into administration last month, putting hundreds of jobs at risk. Michael Shanks pledged to support the workers who are facing redundancy, but said there is little action the Government can take to improve the statutory redundancy offer. Speaking in the Commons, he said: 'We have worked urgently to ensure the safety of the refinery site, the security of fuel supplies and to protect workers. 'This has also allowed time for bidders to express an interest in the site. 'Following a thorough process, the official receiver has rigorously assessed all the bids received and concluded that sale of the business as a whole is not a credible option.' He added: 'A package has been offered to all those directly employed at the refinery, which guarantees their jobs and pay over the coming months. 'And alongside the usual support that is offered to workforces in insolvency situations, the Government will also immediately fund a comprehensive training guarantee for those refinery workers to ensure they have the skills needed and the support to find jobs, for example, in the growing clean energy workforce.' The Lindsey site is one of only five large oil refineries remaining in the UK after the recent closure of the Grangemouth plant in Scotland. Prax Group is led by majority owner and chairman and chief executive Sanjeev Kumar Soosaipillai, who bought the Lindsey oil refinery from French firm Total in 2021. Shadow energy minister Andrew Bowie, who tabled the urgent question, claimed 625 jobs are at risk as he pressed the minister for an update on its investigation into the collapse of the company. He also asked: 'What, if any, assessment has been made into the UK's resilience given the steep reduction in our refining capacity over the past six months? 'What, if any, assessment has been made on the increased reliance on imports that will be necessary as a result of the reduction in British refining capacity?' Mr Shanks said fuel supplies had 'adjusted' in the past few weeks, adding: 'Our assessment suggests there isn't an immediate risk to fuel supplies locally or in the wider area, but we'll continue to monitor that.' On the investigation, he said: 'There is not much I can update the House on at the moment, because the insolvency service is carrying out that investigation.' Conservative MP Martin Vickers, whose Brigg and Immingham constituency includes the oil refinery, said he wanted to see 'the maximum support given to those workers'. Mr Shanks replied: 'We have looked and pushed and pushed to see if there is more action Government can take to change or to give any additional payments. 'It's not possible for Government to do that, not least because the insolvency service has to follow very specific rules in terms of creditors and what their parameters are to operate in the event of an insolvency. 'But I do think the owners of this company have profited from this business, and they should do the right thing by the workforce that delivered that for them.'
Daily Record
14 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Donald Trump hails 'beautiful' Scotland as he fires warning to Europe over immigration
The US President was speaking to reporters on the steps of his five star Turnberry Hotel after welcoming Keir Starmer to South Ayrshire. Donald Trump has hailed "incredible, beautiful" Scotland as the US President welcomed Keir Starmer for talks at Turnberry today. But the US President wasted no time in firing a warning to other European leaders over immigration. Speaking to reporters on the steps of his five star hotel in South Ayrshire, Trump pointed to the Prime Minister's 'very strong stand on immigration'. Sir Keir said he was 'very pleased' to have signed an agreement to return people. Mr Trump told reporters: 'My mother was born in Scotland, and it's an incredible place, a beautiful place. 'And if that be the case, I congratulate you. […] Because, you know Europe is going to is a much different place than it was just five years ago, 10 years ago. 'They've got to get their act together. If they don't, you're not going to have Europe anymore, as you know it, and you can't do that. This is a magnificent part of the world, and you cannot ruin it. 'You cannot let people come in here illegally. And what happens is, there'll be murderers, there'll be drug dealers, there'll be all sorts of things that other countries don't want, and they send them to you, and they send them to us, and you've got to stop them. 'And I hear that you've taken a very strong stand on immigration.' The Republican leader also suggested he would reduce the 50-day deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine. The US President told reporters he was 'very disappointed' with Vladimir Putin. He said: 'We thought we had that settled numerous times, and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city like Kyiv and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever. 'You have bodies lying all over the street, and I say that's not the way to do it. So we'll see what happens with that.' He added: 'We're going to have to look and I'm going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number, because I think I already know the answer, what's going to happen.' Asked about tariffs on Scotland's world famous whisky industry, he could be heard saying: 'We'll talk about that, I didn't know whisky was a problem. I'm not a big whisky drinker but maybe I should be.' And he said of the special relationship: 'Our relationship is unparalleled.'
