Defence chief slams 'shocking' images of smugglers picking up migrants like 'taxi'

The Defence Secretary has pointed the finger at French authorities after "shocking" images showed migrants being picked up by smugglers "like a taxi" to be brought to the UK.

John Healey said Britain has "lost control of its borders" over the last five years, with the Tories leaving behind a system in "chaos". Ministers have stop vulnerable people being exploited by vile smugglers and forced into taking the dangerous journey.

More than 1,100 migrants arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel on Saturday, the highest number recorded on a single day so far this year, latest Home Office figures show. Some 1,194 people made the journey in 18 , bringing the provisional total for the year so far to 14,811.

French police officers were seen watching as migrants, including children, boarded at a beach in Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk, and authorities were then pictured escorting the boats. French authorities said they rescued 184 people and that numerous boat departures were reported.

READ MORE:

Speaking on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme, Mr Healey said they were "pretty shocking, those scenes yesterday".

"Truth is, Britain's lost control of its borders over the last five years, and the last government last year left an asylum system in chaos and record levels of immigration," he said. "I think yesterday tells us a really big problem, which is you've got French police unable to intervene and intercept the boats when they're in shallow waters. That means we saw it.

"We saw the smugglers launching elsewhere and coming round like a taxi to pick them up. Now, one of the steps. And this is a complex problem, but one of the steps we've now got is cooperation, new cooperation with the French and an agreement they'll change the rules so the police can intervene in the water as well as on the shore. And that will help to make a difference to what we saw yesterday.”

The highest number of arrivals previously recorded on a single day so far this year was 825 on May 21. Boat arrivals are said to be 42% higher than the same point last year (10,448) and 95% up from the same point in 2023 (7,610).

Keir Starmer's Government has pledged to crack down on small boat crossings including with measures targeting smuggling gangs.

A Home Office source said: "We have developed strong co-operation with the French and it is important that they have agreed to disrupt these boats once they're in the water - and not just on the shore. This vital step now needs to be operationalised to protect border security and save lives."

A Home Office spokesperson pointed to measures to share intelligence internationally, enhance enforcement operations in northern France and introduce tougher rules in its immigration legislation.

"We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security. The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die as long as they pay, and we will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.

"That is why this Government has put together a serious plan to take down these networks at every stage."

READ MORE: