France has strongly rejected Reform UK’s proposal to use the Royal Navy to intercept migrant boats in the English Channel and return them to France or Belgium, describing the plan as a breach of French sovereignty and international maritime law. The proposal, unveiled by Reform UK as “Operation Fortress”, would see the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, RAF and British Army deployed in what the party describes as a humanitarian military operation to tackle small boat crossings.
France Rules Out Proposal
French officials have dismissed the proposal, warning that British naval vessels cannot return migrants to France without French agreement. A spokesperson for the French Interior Ministry said the proposal would violate French sovereignty and international law, adding that it could not be implemented unilaterally by the UK. The French government also pointed to existing UK-France cooperation, stating that Channel crossings have fallen during 2026 under current joint arrangements.
What Is “Operation Fortress”?
Reform UK says its plan would involve military assets intercepting migrant boats in the Channel before safely transferring those on board to Royal Navy vessels. The migrants would then receive medical assessments before being transported back to France or Belgium. Party leader Nigel Farage has argued the operation would comply with international conventions and has described the use of the Royal Navy as necessary to “protect the country from invasion.”
Government Distances Itself
Downing Street has rejected the proposal, noting that when the Royal Navy previously took responsibility for Channel operations under Operation Isotrope in 2022, crossings did not decrease significantly. The Government said Border Force remains best suited to carrying out maritime border operations. Officials also said crossings are down by almost 50% compared with last year, with around 60% of attempted crossings having been prevented since the current Government took office through joint operations with France.
Falling Crossing Numbers
Although 752 migrants arrived in the UK on small boats during the busiest single day of 2026 last week, overall figures remain lower than in previous years. Official figures indicate 14,526 people have crossed the Channel so far this year—around 43% fewer than at the same point in 2025 and approximately 14% lower than during the equivalent period in 2024.
Political Response
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticised Reform UK’s proposal, describing it as a “gimmick” and arguing there is no practical mechanism for returning migrants to France without French cooperation. The debate comes as migration across the English Channel continues to dominate political discussion ahead of the next general election, with both the Government and opposition parties outlining competing approaches to tackling illegal crossings.
