Rishi Sunak tells Emmanuel Macron he wants to make Channel crossings ‘unviable’

Priti Patel’s pledge to make small boats ‘unviable’ in 2020 was followed by record-breaking increases

(AFP via Getty Images)

Rishi Sunak has told Emmanuel Macron that he wants Britain and France to make Channel migrant crossings “completely unviable”.

The same pledge was made by Priti Patel in August 2020 and came back to haunt the former home secretary as numbers surged to record levels.

Mr Sunak has been making warm overtures to the French government since becoming prime minister, following bitter rows over the Channel that worsened when Liz Truss was asked whether Mr Macron was “friend or foe” and replied: “The jury’s out.”

A Downing Street spokesperson said the French president congratulated the new prime minister on his appointment in a phone call on Friday, and that Mr Sunak “stressed the importance he places on the UK’s relationship with France – our neighbour and ally”.

They discussed cooperation on issues including the Ukrainian war, climate, defence, the economy and nuclear energy.

The official readout said: “The prime minister stressed the importance for both nations to make the Channel route completely unviable for people traffickers. The leaders committed to deepening our partnership to deter deadly journeys across the Channel that benefit organised criminals.”

Channel crossings are expected to be discussed at a UK-France summit to be held next year, where British officials are hoping to secure further increases in the number of French officers patrolling the coastline.

Several agreements have seen the UK give millions of pounds to France to increase security along its northern coast, with patrols and surveillance aiming to disrupt smuggling networks and prevent boats from launching.

On Wednesday, parliament’s home affairs committee was told that French authorities have stopped 43 per cent of individual crossing attempts and destroyed 53 per cent of boats so far this year.

Dan O’Mahoney, the Clandestine Channel Threat Commander, said the proportions were slightly lower than last year but represented a “much, much bigger number” in real terms because of a dramatic rise in attempts.

Despite the effort, the number of migrants reaching England on small boats has rocketed to a new record of over 38,000 so far this year – 93 per cent of whom claimed asylum.

The British government’s policy has been focused on claimed “deterrents”, including the Rwanda deal, advertising campaigns and a range of punitive laws making crossings illegal.

But the French president has made a series of speeches calling for the UK to do more to reduce the push factors driving asylum seekers to northern France and across the Channel – including by setting up more safe and legal routes.

Addressing the European Parliament in January, Mr Macron said that there were countless “women and men who want to reach British shores, who do not want to seek asylum or protection in France”.

“We cannot act as if this situation can last forever,” he added. “We will not be able to resolve this issue if the way of dealing with the subject of migration does not change on the British side … they have not sufficiently organised legal, stable, secure ways and means to seek asylum in Britain.

“That is why we are faced with this situation and therefore it is through a demanding dialogue with the British that we can really deal with this subject.”

Under British law, people must be physically present in the UK to claim asylum but there is no visa to reach the country for that purpose.

Resettlement schemes mainly target countries outside of Europe, such as Afghanistan, and the government has changed its immigration rules to declare asylum seekers who have passed through France and other safe countries “inadmissible” for consideration.