France blasts UK hard-right plan to use navy to stop Channel migrants
The party's leader, Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, unveiled a policy to deploy Britain's Royal Navy to return small boats to France. The French interior ministry said the plan "would be a violation of French sovereignty as well as a violation of maritime law and international law."
France has criticised a plan by the UK's Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, to use the Royal Navy to return migrant boats to France. The French interior ministry said the plan would violate French sovereignty, maritime law, and international law.
Reform UK's plan involves deploying military-crewed inflatable boats from 10 Navy patrol vessels to intercept migrant boats crossing the English Channel. Border Force officers and police onboard would arrest people in the boats, who would then be returned to France or Belgium by Navy personnel or Marines.
A Reform UK spokesperson said the party would "always stand up for British interests and protect our people", adding that humanitarian missions do not violate maritime or international law. A Labour minister said the plan would lead to "a lot of time arguing with France" instead of addressing the problem.
Brief written by urgent.news from Le Monde English, MyJoyOnline Ghana — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- France says Reform UK plan to stop migrant boats illegal rte.ie
- France hits out at Reform UK plan to return migrants using Navy myjoyonline.com
- France blasts UK hard-right plan to use navy to stop Channel migrants freemalaysiatoday.com
