The French government is set to authorise new interventions to stop small boats at sea before they pick up people attempting to reach the UK, following pressure from Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The plans target empty “taxi boats” or large dinghies before they collect passengers from French beaches.
According to Le Monde, Starmer wrote to President Emmanuel Macron this week urging him to back the plan, stating there was “no effective deterrent” in the Channel. The move comes as 39,292 people have crossed the English Channel so far this year, and 26 have died during attempts in 2025.
French security forces will conduct “control and intervention operations” at sea, but will move in before passengers board to avoid endangering lives. However, an NGO working with refugees, Care4Calais, has warned it could launch a legal challenge, arguing the tactic could force desperate people to take more dangerous journeys.
The interventions were halted in early August after objections from the French police union, and the French political crisis has also delayed plans. It remains unclear whether unions will support the proposed tactic, and the French authorities have not confirmed if they will puncture boats before passengers board.
A No 10 spokesperson declined to comment on leaked correspondence but noted that Starmer and Macron speak regularly on the issue. The new funding cycle for securing the sea border concludes in March, with British funds contingent on French assurances of a tougher maritime security presence.
