Inept French cops given millions of YOUR cash for planes, 4x4s & drones STILL fail to stop migrant boats
On yet another shambolic day, the number of arrivals here hit a record 20,000 since the start of 2025.
7
French cops parading around in buggies paid for by the UK as small boat migrants set sail
Credit: AFP
7
Police patrol Gravelines beach near Dunkirk
Credit: LNP
7
A plane patrols the area over Gravelines
Credit: LNP
Critics said £500million of taxpayer cash given to France had only turned its beaches into 'the world's most expensive sieve'.
Patrols with jeeps, quad bikes and drones were pictured on the sand yesterday as smugglers prepared to launch more dinghies.
On Monday alone, 879 reached British shores, the third biggest daily total in 2025.
We saw patrols at Gravelines near Dunkirk, and Équihen, west of Calais.
The crisis is now 48 per cent worse than this time last year and 75 per cent higher than in 2023, according to Home Office figures.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: 'Record numbers of young undocumented males have crossed this year thanks to French beaches being the world's most expensive sieve — this is a disaster for the country.
'They are costing us money, making us less safe, and they bring a terrorist threat.
'This will only get worse under the weakest Prime Minister I have ever seen.'
PM Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are due to meet in London next week for a State visit and a summit focused on tackling the crossings.
The UK first signed a deal with France under the last Tory government, with nearly £500million committed to extra patrols, surveillance drones, vehicles and riot vans.
Illegal Channel migrant delivery riders ARRESTED as cops swoop on major asylum hotel after Sun expose
Sir Keir has extended the commitment.
The leaders are also preparing to unveil a new 'one in, one out' migrant returns deal — sending some Channel arrivals to France in exchange for Britain accepting migrants with family reunion rights.
But the Tories have branded the plan a 'fantasy' and demanded their Rwanda scheme be reinstated.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'One year into Labour's government and the boats haven't stopped, they've multiplied.
'It's become a free-for-all.
'We need a removals deterrent so every single illegal immigrant who arrives is removed outside Europe.
'The crossings will then rapidly stop.'
Sir Keir has faced pressure to deliver on his promise to 'smash the gangs' fuelling the crisis.
7
A cop brandishes a tear-gas spray as he tries to prevent migrants from boarding a boat at Équihen
Credit: AFP
7
Another cop takes a snap at Équihen, west of Calais
Credit: AFP
But Downing Street insisted it will take time to solve it, warning 'it's not simple' to dismantle international smuggling networks.
The PM's spokesman said the figures were 'clearly unacceptable', adding: 'But let's be clear, gangs have been allowed to embed industrial-scale smuggling enterprises across Europe, whilst our own asylum system collapsed through failed policies like Rwanda.
They are costing us money, making us less safe, and they bring a terrorist threat. This will only get worse under the weakest Prime Minister I have ever seen
Nigel Farage
'But we are taking action.'
The spokesman pointed to arrests of gang leaders, thousands of boat seizures, and closer ties with France.
7
Fire officers on a jet ski as illegals try to board boat
Credit: AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
10 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Canadian patriotism surges amid Trump's taunts of tariffs, statehood
Not anymore. So hundreds of Canadians flocked to Montreal's Place d'Armes, a square in the city's Old Montreal neighborhood across from the Notre-Dame Basilica, on July 1 to kick off Canada Day, a time to celebrate the 158th anniversary of their country's birth and all things Canadian. Volunteers wandered through the crowd and handed out miniature Canadian flags, which people waved while posing for selfies. Others affixed the red-and-white drapeaux to shirts, shorts and hats, turning them into a fashion statement as much as a political one. From a park bench, Filippa Contarini watched the flag-waving crowd and counted all the things she loves about being Canadian. "Our beautiful country, our very open, very free, liberal country - I love it," said Contarini, a small Canadian flag tucked into the back strap of her hat. "I love the French. I love the English. I love it all." One thing she doesn't love? Donald Trump. "He's like a big bully - that's how I see him. And he's very ignorant," she said. "He keeps saying Canada should be the 51st state. No, no, no. That's never going to happen. This is him being an idiotic child." Across the Great White North, Canadians marked Canada Day with parades, festivals, pledges of national unity and uncharacteristic displays of patriotism. Canadians are usually known more for their friendliness and hospitality than for showy demonstrations of pride. That is associated more with their bigger, boisterous neighbors to the south. But Canada Day has taken on new significance to many Canadians this year, given Trump's unwelcome suggestion that Canada should become the 51st state, his threat to slap punitive tariffs on Canadian products and his dismissive attitude toward their leaders, especially former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whom he repeatedly mocked as "governor." "The world is changing. Old friendships are fraying," Trudeau's successor, Prime Minister Mark Carney, said in a Canada Day message posted on social media. Carney never mentioned Trump by name, but there was little doubt who he was talking about when he said Canada's economy has been impacted "by a trade war we didn't start." But "as the world becomes more divided and dangerous," he said, "Canadians are uniting." More: Canada scraps digital services tax to advance stalled US trade talks Swell of Canadian pride Recent polls back him up. Canadian pride surged after Trump took office in January and opened his war of words and tariffs. A survey in March by the Harris Poll Canada, in partnership with Petro-Canda, reported a major shift across the country and noted that Canadians were rallying together with a renewed sense of unity and pride that seemed to be growing every week. Seven in 10 Canadians said they were proud to be Canadian, up from 63% a month earlier. Eight in 10 said it is important to buy Canadian products and support Canadian companies. Ninety-two percent said regardless of what happens with Trump's tariffs, they intend to give more support to Canadian companies in the future. Patriotism surged even in French-speaking Quebec, where for decades a separatist movement has pushed for independence from Canada. Flag makers have reported a boost in sales of the Canadian Maple Leaf. Businesses have embraced a "Buy Canada" movement and removed U.S.-made products from their shelves. T-shirts warning that Canada is not for sale have appeared in souvenir shop windows. A poll taken in May by the Association for Canadian Studies suggested that Canadian pride dipped in Quebec after the federal elections in April, when Carney was chosen to succeed Trudeau as prime minister. Even so, 76% of people in Quebec said they were proud to be Canadian. Timeline: A look at key moments in Trump's feud with Canada There's no real mystery what's behind the swell of patriotism, Beland said. "The timing of this is quite clearly in sync with the rhetoric about the 51st state and the return of Donald Trump to the White House," he said. Canada Day celebrations across Montreal From Place d'Armes, the Canada Day crowd marched through the streets of Old Montreal, a brass band leading the way. Elderly couples held hands. Parents pushed strollers down the streets and hoisted young children on their shoulders so they would get a better view. A woman in a wheelchair rolled through the crowd, a Maple Leaf windmill attached to the back of her chair, twirling furiously in the breeze. Down brick streets, past art galleries, souvenir shops and restaurants, the procession marched for nearly a mile to the Old Port of Montreal, along the St. Lawrence River. There, thousands of people attended the official festival, which kicked off with a 21-gun salute, followed by the raising of the Canadian flag and a swearing-in ceremony for two dozen new Canadian citizens. Dozens of booths offered family-friendly activities, such as drawing and face painting. Shirley Desserud, a high school teacher who was born in Niagara Falls, Canada, but is spending the summer in Montreal, wore a white T-shirt that announced, "I Am Canadian." It's no longer enough for Canadians just to be proud of their heritage, she said. Because of Trump, they have to stand up and proclaim it. "We're friendly, we're polite," she said, "but we're really pissed off at your president." Canada is larger than the United States in terms of total land area, but the U.S. has a lot more people and power. Desserud recalled former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, father of Justin Trudeau, once saying that being neighbors with the United States is like sleeping next to an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered the beast might be, Trudeau said, everyone is affected by its every twitch and grunt. "Now," Desserud said, "the elephant is on crack." Kirk Anderson from Denver, who was visiting Montreal with his family, said he decided to attend the Canada Day festivities to show solidarity with America's northern neighbors. "I would like to tell Canadians that there are a lot of us in the United States who do not want Trump to be president and who love Canada as it is," he said. More: Trump is the 'X factor' as Canada elects a prime minister Ida Degano, who was with her husband Benny, said Trump's suggestion that Canada become part of the United States is offensive. "It hurts my heart," she said, adding that Trump should watch his mouth "because he cannot rule the world." Degano, who lives outside of Toronto, came to Canada from Italy in 1953, her husband came four years later, and together they have been able to build a good life in their adopted country, she said. To Americans whose views about Canada may be shaped by Trump's remarks, Degano offers a suggestion. "Come and visit Canada and see how we live," she said. Follow Michael Collins on X @mcollinsNEWS.
Daily Record
35 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Nigel Farage's Reform charging potential MSPs £200 to stand for party in 2026 election
Reform UK is charging Holyrood hopefuls who want to stand in next year's election - partly to fund their own vetting checks. Nigel Farage is charging Holyrood hopefuls £200 to apply to stand for his party - with some of the money funding their own vetting checks. Reform UK is asking members who want to put themselves forward for the next Scottish Parliamentary elections to pay to apply and for training. The party leader previously said Reform was sabotaged by a professional vetting firm in the general election run-up and threatened to sue. He claimed the company had been handed £144,000 to probe potential candidates and had produced nothing. A raft of negative stories later appeared about candidates, including those who made racist online posts. Despite promising to "rigorously" vet future candidates, more extremist social media posts have emerged from some of the party's 677 new councillors elected in the English local elections. Experts have said the party needs to tackle vetting and put forward serious candidates. In a recruitment email to members, Reform's head of campaigns said running for Holyrood was a "once in a lifetime opportunity" and they wanted "the best of Scotland to come forward". Those interested must "complete a short application form and pay a £50 fee to cover vetting and admin costs", and if successful they're charged £150 attendance fee for a "one-day, in-person Parliamentary Assessment Centre". It said it would "consider hardship waivers in some cases". None of Scotland's main political parties charge candidates to apply to stand. For Westminster elections, Lib Dems charge £75 for selection and assessment while the UK Tory party has previously charged £250 for an assessment centre day and £115 for "due diligence". The Scottish Tories charge a fee for attending an assessment centre day to "cover tea and coffee", according to a party source. Tom Brake, of campaign group Unlock Democracy said: "Politicians should be as representative of the population as possible. "Charging prospective candidates a fee to cover the cost of their vetting and assessment will act as a significant barrier for some, and risk reducing the talent pool of potential MSPs." Reform's application process asks candidates for details of all their social media accounts and usernames and if they have ever been members of online forums or newspaper comment sections. It also asks if they have been a "member of a proscribed organisation" such as "the BNP or Britain First" and if they have criminal convictions. After filling out the online form, prospective candidates must pay a £50 non-refundable fee to submit applications. Reform has previously come under criticism due to the way the party is structured. Unlike other major political parties, Nigel Farage registered Reform as a business in 2018 with himself, deputy Richard Tice and Zia Yusuf listed as shareholders. After complaints from members, party chiefs relinquished their shares in February, renaming the company Reform 2025 Ltd. Its overall owner is Reform UK Party Ltd, which has no controlling person, according to Companies House. Its directors are still Farage and Tice. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. A Reform UK spokesman insisted it was normal for political parties to charge candidates and said: "All political parties charge for their parliamentary lists, we are just more honest. "If no party does it in Scotland that is just a sign that they don't treat the Scottish Parliament as seriously as they treat Westminster. The £50 covers vetting - something the other parties don't do. "The £150 is for a full day event assessment centre so we can ensure only the highest quality candidates are put forward, showing how seriously we take the Scottish parliament. "As a party we also offer hardship waivers so that anyone can apply and we are fair to all of our members regardless of their personal financial situations." "Reform are looking for those who can dig into their wallets and hand over a wad of cash."
Rhyl Journal
3 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
BBC director-general was at Glastonbury during Bob Vylan performance
It is understood Tim Davie was on a visit to meet staff at the Somerset music event on Saturday afternoon and was informed after Bobby Vylan, one half of the British rap punk duo, led his audience in chants that also included 'Free, free Palestine'. The performance at the West Holts Stage was livestreamed by the BBC but the organisation later expressed regret for not stopping its broadcast of the 'unacceptable' set. A BBC spokesperson said: 'The director-general was informed of the incident after the performance and at that point he was clear it should not feature in any other Glastonbury coverage.' The news of Mr Davie's presence at the festival comes as the Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis berated the BBC for what he called 'the airing of vile Jew-hatred' and the broadcaster's 'belated and mishandled response'. The corporation has faced strong criticism for continuing to livestream the performance on iPlayer with on-screen warnings about discriminatory language. Broadcasting regulator Ofcom saying it was 'very concerned' by the decision and the Culture Secretary claimed the issue should have been foreseeable and constituted 'a problem of leadership' for the BBC. In a post on X, Sir Ephraim wrote: 'This is a time of national shame. 'The airing of vile Jew-hatred at Glastonbury and the BBC's belated and mishandled response, brings confidence in our national broadcaster's ability to treat antisemitism seriously to a new low. 'It should trouble all decent people that now, one need only couch their outright incitement to violence and hatred as edgy political commentary, for ordinary people to not only fail to see it for what it is, but also to cheer it, chant it and celebrate it. 'Toxic Jew-hatred is a threat to our entire society.' Irish rap trio Kneecap, including member Liam Og O hAnnaidh who appeared in court earlier this month charged with a terror offence, took to the stage directly after Bob Vylan and led chants of 'Free Palestine'. On Monday, Avon and Somerset Police said it had launched a probe into both performances after reviewing video footage and audio recordings, with a senior detective appointed to lead the investigation. A police spokesman said: 'This has been recorded as a public order incident at this time while our inquiries are at an early stage. 'The investigation will be evidence-led and will closely consider all appropriate legislation, including relating to hate crimes.' In a statement on Monday, the BBC said: 'Millions of people tuned in to enjoy Glastonbury this weekend across the BBC's output but one performance within our livestreams included comments that were deeply offensive. 'The BBC respects freedom of expression but stands firmly against incitement to violence. 'The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves. 'We welcome Glastonbury's condemnation of the performance. 'The performance was part of a livestream of the West Holts stage on BBC iPlayer. 'The judgment on Saturday to issue a warning on screen while streaming online was in line with our editorial guidelines. 'In addition, we took the decision not to make the performance available on demand. 'The team were dealing with a live situation, but with hindsight we should have pulled the stream during the performance. We regret this did not happen.' US deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau announced that Bob Vylan's US visas had been revoked due to 'their hateful tirade at Glastonbury', with the duo scheduled to tour in Chicago, Brooklyn and Philadelphia in October. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the Commons on Monday the Government was 'exasperated' with the 'lack of account from the leadership' at the BBC. Ms Nandy said the incident at Worthy Farm had raised 'very, very serious questions at the highest levels of the BBC about the operational oversight and the way in which editorial standards are understood', adding that she wanted to see 'rapid action' from the broadcaster. Cabinet minister Jonathan Reynolds said the scenes at Glastonbury raised wider concerns about society. He told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'There are some lessons, I think, for broadcasters from this, but let's also not shy away from the issue, which is people in a crowd glorifying violence. 'I don't think it's something we'd associate with any music festival, but it's a wider societal problem.' He added:'It's possible, I think, to be completely concerned by the scenes in Gaza and not stray into the kind of behaviour and endorsement that we saw with that performance. 'And I'm deeply shocked to be honest, that people would even not realise what I think they're participating in when they do that.' Glastonbury Festival organisers also condemned Bob Vylan's chants, saying it was 'appalled' by what was said on stage, adding 'there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence'. Bob Vylan formed in Ipswich in 2017 and have released four albums addressing issues such as racism, masculinity and class. Bobby Vylan is the stage name of Pascal Robinson-Foster, 34, according to reports. His bandmate drummer uses the alias Bobbie Vylan. In a statement posted to Instagram, he said: 'Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place. 'As we grow older and our fire starts to possibly dim under the suffocation of adult life and all its responsibilities, it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us.'
