Labour Blows £2 Million a Week on French Channel Patrols – with Zero Guarantees
Labour is handing over a staggering £2 million every week to France to police the English Channel. All this, despite Paris flat-out refusing to accept any targets to stop the constant small boat crossings.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has signed a £16.2 million two-month extension deal with French authorities. The cash keeps French beach patrols running, but with no strings attached to their results.
France Snubs ‘Payment By Results’ – Lives at Risk, They Say
Ms Mahmood demanded future payments be linked to how many illegal crossings the French stop. But France shot down the idea, warning that tying funds to interception rates could put lives at sea in danger.
Since January, fewer than one-third of attempted Channel crossings have been halted by French patrols. Over 4,400 migrants have still landed on UK shores – and that’s despite dreadful weather.
With no better deal on the table, Mahmood extended the current arrangement to avoid total chaos in the Channel. She vowed to “do whatever it takes to restore order and control at our borders.”
Labour Slammed for Paying France While Crossings Rise
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp tore into Labour’s Channel strategy, calling it a “ripping off of Britain.”
“France is stopping fewer small boat illegal immigrants than ever. There should be zero illegal migrants trying to reach the UK after leaving safe France. Yet Labour now pays £2 million a week for failure. They lack the backbone to get a deal. Keir Starmer has overseen a 45% jump in Channel crossings since the election – his promise to smash the gangs is in tatters.”
French Warnings: Sea Interventions Are Danger Zones
French Interior Ministry insiders and navy officials have voiced concerns about the risks of intervening at sea. Laurent Nunez, France’s Interior Minister, opposes aggressive interceptions, citing dangers to both officers and migrants.
Paris has also balked at UK demands to fund salaries for new migrant detention centres and police barracks in northern France, leaving Britain to foot more of the bill.
Channel Crossings Surge as French Interception Rates Hit New Lows
- Only 2,064 out of 6,233 attempted crossings stopped by France so far in 2026 – the lowest interception rate ever recorded.
- Last year, French authorities blocked just 35% of migrants trying to cross.
- UK cash pays for French patrol overtime, insurance, boats, and surveillance drones.
A senior French police union official warned: “Trying to force overcrowded boats to turn back is extremely dangerous, especially when women and children are on board.”
Home Office Insists Mahmood Is ‘Driving a Hard Bargain’
A Home Office insider claims Mahmood is working hard to secure better terms. “We want more bang for our buck,” they said.
Ms Mahmood declared: “Our work with France has stopped 42,000 attempts by illegal migrants to cross the Channel. While we finalise a new and improved UK-France deal, French law enforcement operations will continue. I will do whatever it takes to restore order and control at our borders.”
But with France refusing conditional funding and the UK hesitant to meet all French demands, the migrant crisis looks far from over.
