Border force acting as a "taxi service" for migrants, claims former MOD chief

9 August 2020, 11:16 | Updated: 9 August 2020, 11:20

Former head of the Ministry of Defence believes Royal Navy will help solve UK migrant crisis

By Seán Hickey

A former Ministry of Defence chief told LBC the Royal Navy can help solve the migrant crisis by bringing order and strategy to what's happening in the English Channel.

Rear Admiral Chris Parry is also former Director General at the Ministry of Defence. He was speaking to Iain Dale after Home Secretary Priti Patel requested the MOD deploy in the English Channel to deal with migrants crossing into the UK.

Admiral Parry thought Ms Patel's request was a "terrific idea," and told Iain that the Navy will quickly bring order to the Channel.

He said that the border force are currently acting as a "taxi service to bring them to dry land," the Royal Navy will help stop this by "deploying the talents of people who spend their lives at sea solving complex problems."

Admiral Parry imagined that the strategy of the Navy in bringing order to the mining crisis will be through intensive checking systems.

Through a system introduced by the Navy, if a person isn't granted entry to the UK they will be sent "to the first country they landed in," in Europe.

Rear Admiral Parry said the Royal Navy can secure the UK's maritime border amid the migrant crisis. Picture: PA

Iain suggested the UK to "have patrols at each of the beaches," which will catch migrants as they arrive in the country. Admiral Parry argued that this is already alleged to be done in France.

"We're paying the French a lot of money at the moment and it doesn't seem to be doing a whole lot," he stated, adding that there "seems to be a lack of will on the French side to stop it."

He maintained that the main objective is to "secure our maritime border, and the Royal Navy can do that."