Yesterday, total of 168 migrants crossed over the English Channel. This brings the total number of arrivals by small boats in the UK this year to nearly 1,000.
The Home Office reports that six boats were intercepted and taken to Dover by Border Force officers.
One small boat carrying dozens of people, including children, came perilously close to a P&O ferry while making the dangerous journey across the Channel – the world’s busiest shipping lane.
French authorities also intercepted 3 more crossings, involving another 126 individuals.
With the latest crossings, the number of migrants who have arrived in the UK via small boats has risen to almost 1,000.
A record 28381 persons crossed the Channel last year in small boats. It wasn’t until February that the number reached 1000.
Officials have told Home Secretary Priti Patel that 65,000 people could cross the Channel in 2022 – more than double last year’s total.
This comes just as ministers warned yesterday that plans to use Royal Navy to resolve the Channel Migrant Crisis would lead to the Senior Service being made into a “taxi service”.
Plans to fly migrants from Africa to the UK were still in jeopardy after Ghanaian officials claimed they had been in negotiations with the UK Government.
According to reports, ministers are preparing proposals that would allow illegal immigrants in the UK to be sent overseas for processing and resettlement. The west African country and Rwanda were named.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Accra stated that it was not interested in participating in Operation Dead Meat. This is a deviation from the Tory party’s ‘Operation Red Meat’ plan to rescue Boris Johnson.
Yesterday’s crossing of the English Channel by 168 migrants brought the total number arriving in Britain via small boats to close to 1,000.
The Home Office reports that six boats were captured by Border Force officers and taken to Dover’s Port of Dover Tuesday.
One small boat carrying dozens of people, including children, came perilously close to a P&O ferry while making the dangerous journey across the Channel – the world’s busiest shipping lane
Official statistics show that more migrants have entered Britain in this month’s than any other time since January. UK authorities have intercepted more than 950 migrants so far this year – more than three times the 223 in January 2021. The Channel intercepted 28381 individuals last year, while only 8,410 were in 2020.
This happened as about 30 people, including children, were brought to shore by Border Force vessels. Yesterday saw two small boats land in Dover from crossing the frozen dark and cold waters of Europe.
Photos taken on the approach to the Port of Dover in Kent show a group of men, women and children huddled in lifejackets as their dinghy edges towards A P&O passenger ferry, moments before they were pulled to safety by the Border Force boat.
Boris Johnson, the Government of Britain, announced yesterday plans to grant the Royal Navy power to intercept and monitor migrants. This is in response to the Channel crisis.
The Prime Minister made it one of several populist policy announcements he has made in recent days, to help his leadership. He is facing calls to resign due to the “Partygate” lockdown scandal.
Yesterday’s testimony at the Commons Defence Select Committee saw James Heappey, Defence Minister insisting that deployment British Armed Forces to ensure that Britain’s borders are secure was indeed an appropriate use of them.
However, signs indicated that there was a division between the Government of the MoD. Military sources claimed that they would not pursue controversial “pushback” tactics amid increasing concerns that it is illegal and may cause additional deaths.
One week ago, a Sudanese young man fell into the water and drowned trying to make it across.
Tobias Ellwood, Conservative Chairman, warned that there is “a real danger to mission creep here”. Sir Edward Leigh, Tory ex-minister was critical of plans to use Navy to transport migrants to the UK as a taxi service’.
John Healey, Labour’s shadow defense secretary, claimed that the government is trying to divert attention from allegations about Prime Minister Lying and Partying in Downing Street and to ‘desperately prop up a Home Secretary utterly failing.
Border Forcer agents escort migrants as they approach the Port of Dover in Kent, yesterday after a minor boat incident on the Channel
A group of migrants including young children sitting on the beach at Dungeness in Kent on January 18, 2022
A group of migrants including a young child walking near the beach at Dungeness in Kent on January 18, 2022
An assortment of immigrants, including children and young people, are seen on Dungeness’s beach on January 18, 2022.
A migrant arrives to the Port of Dover following being captured by the UK Border Force in January 2022
Officials have warned Home Secretary Priti Patel that 65,000 migrants could cross the Channel this year – more than double last year’s 28,300 record number (Dungeness yesterday)
After a dozen people made the risky crossing at night, two small boats arrived in Dover Marina today.
Priti Patel, Home Secretary to the House of Representatives (MPs), stated that the government was continuing the push-back policy despite growing concerns about whether the tactic is illegal or could lead to more deaths among migrants.
Dave Doogan (SNP MP) described the announcement to be’military concealment being used in order to hide a political crisis that lies at the heart Government’.
Yesterday, Mr Heappey addressed MPs. He said that the Government had explored all avenues to stop further cross-border crossings. He appointed defense to assume operational primacy in cross-Channel countermigration operations. This will give the Royal Navy a more prominent role with regard to operational planning and asset coordination, as well as operational delivery.
“Defense provided support throughout the past twelve months. This included the provision of surveillance planes, accommodation and planning assistance, as well as the execution of trial operations for innovative tactics that would assist the Border Force or Home Office.
He said, “Details about how the defense will provide and preserve primacy over cross-Channel migration operations going forward are being worked through.”
“The government’s goal is to ensure that no illegal immigrants arrive in the UK under their terms. Therefore, all illegal vessels crossing the Channel should be stopped before they reach the UK.
Sir Edward explained to MPs, “In the absence ministers having to use pushback to get rid of it, what’s the point in appointing the Royal Naval Admiral to help Border Force be a more efficient tax service? So that migrants know now that “we have got to take safety to UK and we will then be taken to a hotel, and we won’t ever go home,”
“This is an embarrassment. The minister should now coordinate with his fellow colleagues and do the same thing we’ve been suggesting for several months, which is to reform all legislation, including the Human Rights Act. People who are involved in illegal crossings will be arrested and deported.
Heappey said that he had heard the exhortations of both colleagues and him. The Navy will be taking ‘primacy” for Channel crossings, he said.
Healey said the government is trying to distract from allegations about Prime Minister Lying and Partying in Downing Street. Healey also claimed that the Home Secretary, who has been utterly failing over the past two years due to the increase of cross-channel migrants, was being supported by the Government.
He then asked, “When is the Home Secretary going to step in to her duties to ensure a security agreement with France, to break down the smuggling networks, and to prevent the deaths of more migrants on the channel?”‘.
Dave Doogan, SNP MP said that it was a “worrying development” both operationally and morally. He described the announcement as’military concealment being used to mask a political crisis at Government’s heart’.
This was an “alarmingly politically expedient” that transformed a civil emergency into an inappropriate military operation, which is doomed not to succeed.
Heappey replied, “This is asking for the Navy to assume primacy from command-and control perspective to bring to bear all the Government’s marine assets across all agencies set to sail to attempt to cohere an even more robust response to sea. And I believe that this is an evolution rather than a replacement for something that was already in place.”
The MoD stated that London was looking at ‘every possible avenue’ to stop more crossers, and the Home Office claimed it was making ‘necessary and long-term changes. However, very little information has been given and many questions remain unanswered.
A military source told The Times: ‘This isn’t about bumping small boats and turning them round – that will never work. It’s impossible to do this in Channel.
Lord West, an ex-first sea lord admiral, stated yesterday to Radio 4’s The World At One that giving military responsibility for tackling crossroads will not solve the problem.
A migrant sitting on the beach at Dungeness in Kent while a police officer stands guard on January 18, 2022
After being interrogated by the UK Border Force, a migrant arrives in Port of Dover
A dinghy used to carry migrants across the Channel on the beach at Dungeness in Kent on January 18, 2022
As the Channel crisis continues, a group of migrants with a child and were brought to shore by Border Force at Dover Marina.
Dover Marina was flooded with migrants, and two boats were able to land in Dover Marina in the early hours of this morning.
Officials have warned Miss Patel that 65,000 migrants could cross the Channel this year – more than double last year’s 28,300 record number (pictured, a migrant landing at Dover Marina early this morning)
As the Channel crisis continues, a group of migrants with a child and were brought to shore by Border Force at Dover Marina.
In an effort to reduce the flow of asylum seekers from Europe to Britain, the Prime Minister gave the Military the task to oversee Border Force and all other government agencies in the Narrow Sea.
Royal Navy vessels, RAF support and Royal Navy boats are likely to deploy to UK territorial waters for patrolling in order to address the migrant crisis.
He stated that he didn’t feel it made any difference. The Royal Navy will pick you up, and then you’ll be on your own.
The proposals are being made by ministers to allow refugees to travel to Rwanda and Ghana to stop migrants crossing the border. The arrangements would see the UK pay another nation to take on the responsibility – but no country has yet agreed to do so.
Tony Smith, the ex-director general of Border Force stated that there will be more migrants trying to illegally enter the UK as the ‘air traffic and ferry traffic return back to pre–Covid levels.
The Telegraph received this information from a Whitehall source: “It’s not an estimate, forecast or prediction. It is a planning assumption.
“In part it shows exactly why we’re taking these measures and looking at offshoring (the processing and outsource of Channel migrants).
According to reports, Albania was one of the potential destinations. But those talks have been reported to have failed.
Downing Street wouldn’t be drawn upon the plans because the PM’s Official Spokesperson said that the discussions with foreign countries were ‘not helpful.
As Mr Johnson activated Britain’s Armed Forces in order to combat small-boat crossings, the move was made to “offshore” the processing of migrants.
Downing Street did not comment on speculation, but indicated that they were exploring all possible options.
Admiral Tony Radakin Chief of Defence Staff told MoD Staff during Monday’s call that while the plans are still in discussion, they may include leadership, planning, or coordination of operations.
According to a MoD spokesperson, “Unacceptable numbers” of people are still crossing the Channel. Last November’s tragedy was a stark reminder that we must stop this.
The Government will explore all avenues to keep further cross-border crossings from happening. Details of how it can be accomplished will be released in due time.
The Home Office stated that the UK’s armed forces are already working closely with Border Force to support these operations. This includes providing assets and expertise as part our Channel process. We must pursue every option to stop illegal crossings, and ensure the safety of life at sea.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper stated Labour would support any sensible’ measures to save Channel life, however she expressed doubts over the sincerity of the plans and said: ‘This appears like Boris Johnson is making headlines by using this situation to distract attention from the mess he has created as a consequence of Rule-breaking Parties in Number 10’
Stuart McDonald, SNP Shadow Home Affairs Spokesperson, told the Commons that the plans were “pathetic”, inhumane, and an abuse to the Royal Navy.”
Clare Moseley is the founder of Care4Calais charity. She said that a military response to a crisis was not only unreasonable, but also inhumane.
Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, told Sky that the plans had been rushed and warned it could cause a major distraction for the navy.
Royal Navy vessels, RAF support and Royal Navy boats are scheduled to patrol UK territorial waters in the context of a policy blitz known as “Operation Red Meat”
The UK Border Force will now be under military command to fight people traffickers for the first time.
Officials are hopeful that Armed Forces participation will prove to be significant deterrent.
According to a Whitehall source, the Command of Border Force (which oversees Channel incidents) will transfer over to Ministry of Defence.
This will happen by February end or January early. There will be changes in the channel operation within a few weeks. This makes perfect sense.
Miss Patel requested military intervention for the first time in 2020 when only a handful thousand migrants crossed from France per year.
Tom Pursglove is Minister for Justice and Tackling Illegal Immigration. He stated that people fleeing persecution should find safety in the country where they are safest and not be forced to pay the Channel crossing gangs.
“This government reforms our approach to illegal immigration to the UK and asylum by taking the hard decisions to stop the deliberate exploitation of our laws, and the impact it has on UK taxpayers.
“The people have had enough with the disregard for our immigration laws. We are making long-term, necessary changes.”