Priti Patel slams French for not ‘cooperating’ with UK to send boats back as Channel set for ‘shameful’ record day

Priti Patel has slammed the French for not “cooperating” with the UK to send illegal boats full of migrants back.

The Home Secretary said the Channel is set for a “shameful” record of crossings and vowed to make the passage to the UK “unviable”.

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Priti Patel has vowed to stop the migrant crossings in the ChannelCredit: Crown Copyright

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British Border Force rescuing migrants from the Channel Credit: PA:Press Association

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Migrants have made desperate attempts to cross including canoeing with a shovelCredit: Steve Finn – The Sun

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Ms Patel slammed the French for not cooperating

Ms Patel wrote on Twitter today: “The number of illegal small boat crossings is appalling and unacceptably high.

“The figures are shameful. France and other states are safe countries.

“Genuine refugees should claim asylum there, not risk their lvies and break the law by coming to the UK.”

Ms Patel vowed to make the Channel crossing “unviable” by stopping boats leaving France, intercepting boats and returning those who to try and make it across.

She added: “This is complex to do and we face serious legislative, legal and operational barriers.”

The Home Secretary demanded the help of the French to intercept boats to discourage them from trying to cross the Channel.

She said: “We also need the cooperation of the French to intercept boats and return migrants back to France.

“I know that when the British people say they want to take back control of our borders – this is exactly what they mean.”

But French MP for Calais was moaning earlier this week trying to stop migrants crossing was “like trying to empty the sea with a spoon”.

Pierre Henri Dumont complained French police “can’t be in different places at the same time” as he admitted that they didn’t take boats back to shore if they’ve crossed over into British waters.

A whopping 235 migrants were intercepted trying to cross to the UK yesterday – a record for a single day.

The number who have crossed the Channel this year alone is nearly double the 1,892 for the whole of 2019.

Almost 4000 people have crossed the Channel in more than 300 boats so far this year.

Many have been snapped paddling in canoes trying to get across to the UK.

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