France will have to accept Reform UK's plan to return small boat migrants to France, despite French objections, Nigel Farage has warned. The French government has called the idea a violation of its sovereignty, but Farage insisted France would have to "lump it."
Farage: France Will Have to Accept Migrant Returns
Speaking to the Express, Farage highlighted that the UK is giving France over £1.1 billion between 2023 and 2029 to secure its borders. He said: "We're giving them a huge amount of money, and yet their navy still escorts boats from 200 yards off the shore, all the way to our 12 mile line and says, 'there you go lads'. That is not acceptable at any level."
He added that life is difficult for residents in northern French coastal towns due to thousands of young men camping out. "If the boats stopped coming, the lives of people in northern France would be considerably better," he said.
Operation Fortress: Reform's Plan
Reform UK has proposed Operation Fortress, a military operation to secure Britain's borders. Under the plan, the Armed Forces would intercept unauthorized vessels, transfer migrants to Royal Navy ships, and escort them back to France or Belgium.
So far this year, more than 14,500 migrants have been detected attempting to cross the Channel in small boats. Farage said the policy would save lives and money, and despite opposition from President Macron, "once you do it a few times it will become established and the camps will go away."
Farage Faces Political Pressure
Farage also discussed the personal toll of his political career, revealing he has received hundreds of death threats and spends time with counter-terrorism. He described a "really, really nasty" campaign against him since Reform's local election victories in May, when it gained control of 14 councils.
He said the establishment and left-wingers want to silence his party, but he remains confident about winning the next election. "Politics is a game of snakes and ladders," he said, adding that Reform's support remains strong across the board.
