France’s President Emmanuel Macron is expected to demand additional annual payments from the United Kingdom to help tackle the small boats crisis, ahead of the Anglo-French Summit.
The UK has already paid France at least £232 million in one-off payments since 2014, with the latest payment of £62 million in November 2021, to increase patrols by 40%.
The funds were provided to finance the policing of French beaches near Calais and Dunkirk to prevent illegal migration. However, the French President is set to request further payments from the UK to finance additional measures.
A French official defended France’s response to the issue, stating that more police on the beaches of Pas-de-Calais would not be effective enough.
The French President plans to negotiate a multi-annual financing framework that would allow France to better plan its actions and increase its human resources, equipment, and infrastructure.
The Prime Minister, however, is under pressure from some Conservative MPs who question the value for money of previous deals with France.
Tory MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, Tim Loughton, accused the government of failing to get value for money.
He stated that the French police would not arrest migrants intercepted on the beaches and called for France to intercept boats in the water and return passengers to French beaches or allow the UK’s Border Force to land them at Calais instead of Dover.
Sir Iain Duncan Smith, former Conservative Party leader, echoed Loughton’s sentiment and asked for evidence of value for money.
Yesterday, the Home Secretary introduced new legislation to deport tens of thousands of people entering the UK illegally and stop the small boats crisis once and for all.
The new legislation will prevent asylum, modern slavery, and human rights laws from being used by migrants who have breached Britain’s borders.
Home Secretary Braverman warned that the “law-abiding patriotic majority have said enough is enough”.
Here we go again being told what to do by the French. More money from the taxpayer. Don’t we give them a lot of money for doing little and they want more to fund the French Nation. Send these boat people back without the French consent just like the Asses did.