A major diplomatic clash has erupted after the UK High Court exposed France's controversial migrant policy as unlawful. The ruling, which remained under wraps until now, condemns the French practice of pushing small boats back from its shores, a tactic that has fuelled the cross-Channel crisis.
The revelation was made public not by government ministers, but by Labour's Shadow Foreign Secretary, David Lammy. He confronted ministers in the Commons, demanding to know why they had kept the court's damning findings secret whilst simultaneously negotiating a new multi-million-pound deal with Paris.
A Secret Exposed in Parliament
During a tense session of Home Office questions, Mr. Lammy revealed the existence of the High Court's decision, stating it proved the French policy of 'turning back migrants into the water' was illegal. This put Ministers on the back foot, facing accusations of hypocrisy for criticising France in court while praising their cooperation in public.
In response, Immigration Minister Chris Philp confirmed the ruling's existence but was evasive on the details, attempting to shift focus onto Labour's own stance on border controls. The exchange highlights the intense political pressure surrounding the government's handling of small boat crossings.
Billions Spent, Crisis Continues
The controversy comes at a sensitive time. The UK government has paid France over £500 million since 2015 to help bolster patrols and security on its northern coastline. Despite this enormous financial investment, a record 45,755 people crossed the Channel in small boats last year, demonstrating the persistent failure of the current strategy.
This legal ruling throws a new wrench into the already strained UK-France migration partnership. It raises serious questions about the effectiveness of British taxpayer money funding operations that a UK court has deemed unlawful, and places immense pressure on the government to re-evaluate its approach to one of the most contentious issues in modern British politics.
