UK to pay France another £660m to curb Channel crossings | Migration

The UK government has reached a £660 million agreement with France to curb the number of asylum seekers crossing the English Channel, including the funding of a specialized riot squad to stop people from boarding small boats.

Under the three-year deal to be signed Thursday by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, the funding will be used to track down smuggling gangs and people seeking refuge. A 50-strong riot squad will be trained in crowd-control tactics to “stop illegal migrants in their tracks,” according to the Home Office.

UK funds are expected to provide the squad with batons, shields, and teargas to manage “hostile crowds and violent tactics.” This follows the collapse of a previous £478 million deal on March 31.

Enhanced Enforcement to Curb Small Boat Crossings

The agreement includes a baseline package of approximately £500 million to boost enforcement on beaches in northern France. This funding covers five new police units, including the aforementioned riot squad.

Additionally, 20 maritime officers will be deployed to intercept “taxi boats” in shallow waters. The Home Office noted that French officials have already stopped six such vessels in the past two months, resulting in the prison and deportation of smugglers.

The deal also expands the intelligence unit from 18 to 30 specialists and adds two new helicopters and a camera system to track smugglers and asylum seekers.

Funding and Political Context

The government has allocated £160 million to trial new approaches, with £50 million spent in the first year. The remaining £110 million for years two and three will be withheld if the initial investment does not show an impact.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that the agreement allows the government to ramp up intelligence and “boots on the ground” to protect borders, noting that previous work with France has stopped tens of thousands of crossings.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood added that the “landmark deal” is designed to stop illegal migrants from making perilous journeys and to ensure smugglers are imprisoned.

Human Rights Concerns

Advocacy groups have condemned the plan, arguing that funding riot control tactics will lead to the further brutalization of asylum seekers. Sile Reynolds, head of asylum advocacy at Freedom from Torture, called the escalation “deeply alarming,” noting that French riot police have previously been criticized by the United Nations for excessive force.

Imran Hussain, director of external affairs at the Refugee Council, argued that policing the Channel treats the symptom rather than the cause. He stated that without safe routes, desperate people will continue to risk their lives due to family, cultural, or language connections to the UK.

The announcement comes as the government faces increasing pressure from political opponents to curb irregular migration. This month, a Sudanese man was charged following the deaths of four migrants who drowned in the Channel. More than 6,000 people have arrived in the UK this year, a 36% decrease compared to the same period last year.