France should take lessons from Belgium in getting tough on illegal migration, insiders say.
Senior UK officials have reportedly called on Calais police to learn from their neighbours on how to stop Channel crossings to Britain.
It comes as just one small boat has come from Belgium so far this year following the country’s strict crackdown on smuggling gangs.
It has included bringing migrants back while they are making the journey, while French ships escort vessels into British waters.
Borders Minister Angela Eagle and her Belgian counterpart Nicole de Moor
PA/Getty
Last week Borders Minister Angela Eagle and her Belgian counterpart Nicole de Moor agreed to work together and engage in closer cooperation on tackling illegal migration.
She said: “We cannot let criminal gangs decide who enters our country, and closer relationships with our bilateral partners are fundamental to disrupting criminal networks and protecting our borders. Strengthened partnership overseas is a key priority of our new Border Security Command.
“Providing leadership across the whole system, with enhanced intelligence capabilities and law enforcement cooperation, we are using every tool at our disposal to dismantle people-smuggling gangs.”
The most recent data for the week of October 13 shows 613 migrants arrived, while just 528 were caught.
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More than 600 people crossed the Channel in small boats on Friday, the day after a baby died on the journey. Home Office figures show 647 people made the crossing in 10 boats, pushing the total for the year above 28,000.
Friday’s crossings take the total number of people who have made the journey this year to 28,204, almost eight per cent higher than at the same point last year but 25 per cent down on the peak year of 2022.
The crossings came after French authorities announced the death of a baby off the coast of Wissant in the Pas-de-Calais region on Thursday evening.
It was the 45th death reported by French coastguards so far this year, with refugee charities warning the Channel crossings were becoming more dangerous.
Chief executive of the Refugee Council Enver Solomon said there had been more deaths this year than in the previous three years combined.
He said: “This procession of death and tragedy shows we need to rethink our approach. Lives will continue to be lost if we carry on as it is.”
