French police stood by and did nothing as groups of migrants ran into the sea to board boats bound for England, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has claimed after a two-day visit to northern France.
Writing in an opinion piece, Mr Philp said he witnessed “absolute chaos” on the Channel coast, with large groups of migrants running down the beach and wading into the water. He said young men were pushing women off the boats and back into the sea, while French police did “absolutely nothing” to stop the illegal migration.
He also said that despite the UK paying France hundreds of millions of pounds a year to help stop the boats, there was no sign of that help as migrants surged into the water and set off for the English coast.
Police 'refused to arrest' smuggler
Mr Philp said he notified police when a people smuggler started an engine, organised migrants and disembarked, but they refused to arrest him. Confronting two officers on Hardelot beach, south of Boulogne, he was told: “Our order is to let them go. We just have to say to them: ‘Don’t do that. It’s dangerous.’”
He added that he could hardly believe what he was hearing, as the officers had been told not to intervene other than to advise migrants not to cross the Channel.
Up to 700 migrants cross in a day
On the same day, up to 700 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats – potentially one of the largest single-day arrivals this year. Mr Philp said the French police might as well not have been there at all.
He called the arrangement a “complete charade”, saying it would be farcical if it were not so tragic. Four people died attempting to cross the Channel this week, he noted, describing them as the real human consequences of the people-smuggling racket.
Mr Philp argued the French authorities turn a blind eye because they are paid regardless of what they do, adding that much of the UK funding is unconditional. He said France does not want migrants in their own country and is happy to see them leave for the UK.
‘Money talks’ – a new incentive for France
Mr Philp said the UK should give France an incentive, telling them that if they do not stop the boats, they will not get a penny more. He argued that money talks and that it is insulting to taxpayers to keep handing over cash without anything in return.
He also said the incentives for migrants need to change, arguing that as long as people can get to the UK without genuine fear of deportation, they will keep coming.
Conservative BORDERS plan
Mr Philp set out the Conservative Party's plan, which includes leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, deporting all new illegal arrivals within a week, and removing all foreign criminals.
As part of the BORDERS plan, he said the party would impose a total ban on asylum claims for new illegal entrants, set up returns agreements with other countries backed by visa sanctions, and create a Removals Force to remove 150,000 illegal immigrants a year. He also said it would end the “court circus” migrants use to stay in the country and support allies abroad to prevent illegal entry to Europe.
He highlighted the scenes at Ceuta this week, where tens of thousands of migrants stormed the border from Morocco into Spanish territory, warning there is a serious risk some could end up in the UK, with Gibraltar so close by.
Mr Philp said Labour scrapped the Rwanda deal because they do not have the backbone to take on the challenge of stopping the boats, and insisted the Conservatives are the only party with a coherent plan to secure the country’s borders.
