Conservatives rage at 'pathetic' French measures to stop migrants' small boats reaching Channel
14 August 2023, 05:35 | Updated: 14 August 2023, 05:36
Conservative MPs have criticised French efforts to stop migrants crossing the Channel.
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It comes after the death of six Afghan men who were crossing the Channel on Saturday when their boat, which was carrying more than 60 people capsized.
It emerged that one of the measures deployed by French authorities to deter migrants is a floating dam made up of yellow buoys, anchored to the bed of the Canche, a river that flows into the sea about 40 miles south of Calais.
Boats have been passing down this river and picking up migrants there, local media report, which has helped them evade authorities.
The dam is supposed to stop this method from working, but several Conservative MPs have hit out at the "pathetic" effort, and questioned the value for money of the UK's £480 million deal with France to help stop the crossings.
One ex-Cabinet Minister told the Sun: "We’re giving them £500million with zero accountability. It’s madness."
Dover MP Natalie Elphicke added: "A makeshift barrier in the sea is no substitute for proper law enforcement to stop migrants boarding dangerous dinghies and launching them from the French coast. They must up their game."
Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith said: "Defences such as this wouldn’t stop a duck and makes a mockery of the whole situation, which is leading to an increasing number of tragic deaths in the Channel."
Conservative Nigel Mills said: "This is hopeless and pathetic. It shows the French are not taking this seriously enough. Any people smuggler will laugh their socks off at that."
The six who died when their boat sank off the French coast were Afghan men. Some 59 were rescued, but two more are missing and authorities continue to hunt for them.
French sea minister Hervé Berville said: "While we mourn these victims ... it is the responsibility of human traffickers - of criminals - who send young people, women, adults, to their death on these maritime routes that are dangerous and lethal."
French authorities have begun a criminal investigation into the deaths.
Philippe Sabatier, the Boulogne prosecutor, said: "Six Afghan males died, and the vast majority of those involved were also from Afghanistan. They included minors."
A patrol boat told authorities that a migrant boat was sinking off the French town of Sangatte at around 4am on Saturday, France's Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea said.
Local mayor Franck Dhersin said dozens of boats were trying to make the crossing at the same time.
The tragedy has put the government under more pressure to find a way to halt these dangerous attempts at crossing the Channel, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, which is also full of treacherous currents.
Criticism has come from Labour and the Conservatives' own benches.
Writing in the Sunday Express, Conservative backbencher and former party chairman Sir Jake Berry said: "We must put a stop to the vile people smugglers who trade in human misery and whose actions result in the loss of life."
Ms Elphicke said the tragedy underlined the need for joint patrols in the Channel.
"Today's tragedy underlines why we must stop the small boats to keep people safe and prevent loss of life in the Channel," she said.
"These overcrowded and unseaworthy deathtraps should obviously be stopped by the French authorities from leaving the French coast in the first place.
"The time has come for joint patrols on the French coast and a cross-Channel security zone before any more lives are lost."
Meanwhile shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said action to deter criminal gangs facilitating the journeys was "desperately" necessary.
Labour's shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock accused the government of having "no workable plan" to sort out the asylum system.
"It's time to end the small boats nightmare - we can't sit by as more lives are put at risk. The country deserves better than this mess."
Home Secretary Suella Braverman chaired a meeting with the Border Force after the tragedy.
In a statement, she said: "My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the tragic loss of life in the Channel today.
"I have spoken with our Border Force teams this morning who have been supporting the French authorities in response to this incident."
"Several of the boats were facing serious difficulties," he told Reuters. "Near Sangatte they unfortunately found dead bodies."
A volunteer said that migrants were trying to bail water out of the sinking boat using their shoes.
"We saved 54 people, including one woman," said Anne Thorel. "There were too many of them on the boat."
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution said a Dover-based volunteer lifeboat crew launched just before 4am to respond to the incident.
An investigation has also been opened by the Boulogne prosecutor's office.
It comes after a government memo suggested that he migrant crisis could last for at least five more years.
An internal document meant for senior civil servants working in the Home Office says the Government will house migrants in disused RAF bases for three to five years.
There are currently plans to house migrants who have crossed the English Channel at Wethersfield in Essex, as well as Scampton in Lincolnshire.
Migrants will also be housed in disused office blocks and student accommodation, The Telegraph reported.
The memo, dated March 24 2023, reads: "[Civil servant's name] is satisfied with (value for money) on Bexhill, Wethersfield and Scampton - on the former two we are saying there is VfM across the 5 years planned for the sites (Bexhill would be potentially used for longer."
It also indicates that the Bibby Stockholm migrant barge would only provide value for money if it were to house 1,000 migrants, rather than 500 as currently planned.
“This assumes we are in hotels for that period. If we are not, and/or if our costs are higher than we have estimated, there could be issues on VfM. On Scampton, our recommendation (with HS [Home Secretary]) is to use the site for 3 years rather than 2," the memo adds.
More than 100,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats since 2018 - the year records began.
The milestone was passed after 755 people were detected crossing on Thursday, the highest daily number so far this year.
It comes despite the government's promise to stop the small boat crossings, with its plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda on hold as it houses migrants in barges and ex-military sites.
The controversial Illegal Migration Act will ban people from claiming UK asylum if they arrive in unauthorised way, which ministers believe will stop the crossings.
But the Supreme Court is yet to decide on whether the Rwanda plan is lawful.
