Related video: Government wants to ‘deter’ migrants from making Channel crossings, says minister
France has vowed to block Home Secretary Priti Patel’s controversial plan to “push back” migrant boats attempting to cross the Channel.
The French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said that the nation will not accept any practice that breaks maritime law, nor any “financial blackmail” amid reports that the UK could withhold £53m promised to help intercept boats if France do not start producing better results.
Nicolas Pillerel, a diplomatic adviser to Mr Darmanin, meanwhile said that the policy risks creating a “theatre of human tragedies”, pointing to mass drownings in the Mediterranean and Aegean.
“Intercepting boats in the sea when they don’t want to be escorted is extremely dangerous,” he said. “And this can lead to tragedies. It risks the Channel becoming a new theatre of human tragedies, as we have already seen in other seas.”
In spite of these warnings and suggestions that the policy could break international maritime law, The Independent understands that Ms Patel plans to plough ahead and will tell any Border Force commanders who have assessed that boats could be pushed back that she fully supports that decision.
