UK PM faces pressure over migrant crossings amid funding negotiations with France
The UK Prime Minister is facing mounting pressure to halt funding to France, as recent figures indicate that two-thirds of small boat migrants successfully navigate the English Channel, reports BritPanorama.
Sir Keir Starmer is slated to approve a new funding arrangement for Paris when the current agreement concludes next month. Critics, including members of the Conservative Party and Reform, insist that no further payments should be made until France significantly improves its performance in preventing crossings.
In 2025, over 41,000 migrants reached the UK via small boats, representing a 13 per cent increase compared to the previous year and marking the second-highest total ever recorded. Out of these, France managed to intercept only 22,476 migrants, which translates to a mere 35 per cent success rate despite extensive UK financial aid aimed at bolstering border security.
The UK’s support has exceeded £700 million, directed towards enhancing French patrols, dismantling migrant boats, and supporting police operations in makeshift migrant camps. Critics argue that this investment has not yielded the expected results.
Talks are already progressing regarding a multi-year funding arrangement. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp condemned the French approach, stating, “It is pathetic the French are allowing two-thirds of illegal immigrants to embark.” He recounted witnessing French police facilitating illegal migrant transportation to departure points last summer and emphasized the necessity for effective action before any additional payments are made.
Reform’s Zia Yusuf added, “Tory and Labour governments have handed France £700 million of taxpayer money to stop the boats full of illegals. Yet they are coming in record numbers. Almost 200,000 in eight years. The French are laughing at us.”
Sir Keir Starmer’s proposed one-in, one-out migrant deal has also come under scrutiny, with reports suggesting that only a few hundred migrants have been returned since September. The Home Office maintains that cooperation with France is ongoing, claiming joint operations have successfully blocked 40,000 crossings under the current government.
The ongoing migration issue, particularly in relation to partnerships with neighbouring countries, remains a contentious topic amidst public and political scrutiny in the UK.
This situation underscores the complexities of managing migration and border security, particularly as governments grapple with mounting humanitarian concerns and political expectations.
