France has been accused of ‘ceding sovereign territory to people smugglers’ in an incendiary Whitehall attack on Emmanuel Macron’s government.
According to a Whitehall source, 700 migrants have crossed the Channel from France to Britain in one day last week. This brings the total of this month to over three times the number of those who entered the UK during November 2013.
Blasting Mr Macron’s administration’s response, the source said: ‘They let hundreds of people potentially set sail to their death whilst only stopping a couple of boats. They seem to have surrendered sovereignty to criminals smugglers.
Following a Channel Today boat incident, several people believed to be migrants were brought aboard the Dover Lifeboat.
‘This abject failure will be raised in the strongest possible terms with Gerald Darmanin [France’s minister of the interior].’
Wednesday’s 700 arrivals mean the figure for this year is already almost 23,000 – close to three times as many as in 2020.
France has been accused of ‘ceding sovereign territory to people smugglers’ in an incendiary Whitehall attack on Emmanuel Macron’s (pictured) government
The UK authorities rescued or intercepted 695 persons from 22 vessels, while French officials only stopped 255 people from seven boats. Around 40 people could be seen leaving the Dover lifeboat just before 8am, despite the visibility being reduced and the weather quickly deteriorating at sea. A Border Force cutter Hunter brought 30 more into port around 9:30 am.
Around 500 additional people are believed to have landed safely in the UK yesterday after taking advantage of calmer waters. However, the Home Office has yet to verify exact figures.
Two boats were seen arriving before 5am while RNLI’s Dungeness lifeboat The Morrell was seen bringing around 50 into Dover Marina before dawn. The boat returned around 8.30am with 30 more.
The RNLI sent lifeboats to Ramsgate and Dover in Kent as well as Dungeness and Hastings in East Sussex.
About 50 migrants disembarked in one lifeboat at Hastings, at 12.30pm.
Young girls were seen climbing the shingle in winter coats covered with foil blankets.
Rescue services prevented one group of migrants from landing after they drifted dangerously near the MoD firing range in Lydd (Kent).
The record comes following a daily record 853 sailors set in 23 boats last Wednesday from continental Europe. This capped off an entire week of 2,131 British arrivals.
That led government sources to accuse the French of ‘lamentable inaction’. Tensions between Paris and London have increased as it became clear that less than half the migrants were stopped by French authorities.
Dan O’Mahoney Clandestine Channel Risk Commander with Priti Patel (Home Secretary)
Dan O’Mahoney, the UK’s Clandestine Channel Threat Commander, warned: ‘Migrants making these dangerous crossings are putting their lives at risk.
‘It is vital we do everything we can to prevent them and break the business model of the criminal gangs exploiting people.’
This month’s November total is 2,587, up from 757 during the same period last.
Over the entire month, Border Force chiefs planned for only 2,000 crossings.
Mr Macron’s government promised to stop migrants leaving French beaches through increased patrols in return for £54million from the UK.
Priti Patel, Home Secretary, approved last week the first installment of the amount following assurances by Mr Darmanin that 100% of the boats would have been intercepted if Britain pays full sum.