UK calls for ‘constructive’ work with France on migrant crisis
The UK government has said it wants to work “constructively” with France to tackle the migrant crisis.
It comes as a record number of people, 1,185, arrived on the country’s shores last week, according to PA data, which forms part of the more than 23,500 people that have risked the Channel and made it to the UK so far this year.
Young children, including one toddler, were carried ashore earlier today.
Prime minister Boris Johnson’s spokesperson said that 18,000 Channel crossings have been prevented in 2021.
The spokesperson made clear that the prime minister wants to collaborate with France to “resolve this issue” and that “more needs to be done”.
“We continue to see France as a close ally of the UK. We do want to work constructively to resolve this issue,” they told reporters.
“We are providing funding to the French to allow them to increase surveillance, to allow them to increase the police presence that is there to prevent these crossings taking place.
“Through that investment we have seen stoppages increase and that is to be welcomed but clearly with the level of crossings we are seeing per day more needs to be done.”
The migrant crisis has been a long-running issue for the UK government.
Though the spike in crossings over the past two weeks has reignited tensions between Britain and France amid an ongoing row over fishing licences.