Border Force detain 1,568 migrants crossing the Channel in four days as ministers say France WILL get £54m funding from UK 'in the coming weeks' - after Priti Patel threatened to withhold cash unless efforts were stepped up
- Minister say France will get £54million funding for Channel migrant operations
- Cash will be paid 'in coming weeks' despite frustration at limp French response
- Security minister Damian Hinds said 'administrative' issues rather than 'political'
Ministers today insisted France will get £54million of funding for the Channel migrant operation - blaming 'administrative' issues for the delay.
Despite Priti Patel threatening to withhold the money unless Paris stepped up efforts to limit the flow, security minister Damian Hinds said it will be paid 'in the coming weeks.
He denied there was any 'political question' over paying the cash, insisting the 'administrative process' had just taken time to work through.
But France has been making veiled threats about its activities to quell the problem, with interior minister Gerald Darmanin complaining that 'not one euro has been paid' of the pledged funds.
It comes after Border Force officers have detained 1,568 migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats in just four days as the crisis continues.
People smugglers took advantage of calm seas before the weather closes in to make dozens of crossings. And today, around 20 to 30 migrants were brought into Dover although official figures have yet to be confirmed.
On Thursday 89 were intercepted before 624 were detained on Friday. But over the weekend 491 migrants were intercepted on Saturday and a further 364 on Sunday.
It takes the total so far in October to 1,568 after a spell of two weeks where weather conditions were too rough for inflatables to attempt the 21 mile treacherous crossing. In September there were a record 4,646 detained.
Official figures take the number detained so far this year to 18,641.
A group of migrants are brought into Dover in Kent by Border Force officers today after a small boat incident in the Channel
An arriving migrant waves at a photographer after arriving at Dover Marina in Kent this morning
A migrant is brought ashore at Dover in Kent today after crossing the English Channel in a small boat
Migrants are brought into Dover in Kent today by Border Force officers following a small boat incident in the Channel
Migrants are brought into Dover in Kent today by Border Force officers after crossing the Channel in a small boat
A migrant is accompanied to the shore at Dover in Kent this morning by Border Force officers after crossing the Channel
Migrants are brought into Dover today by Border Force officers following a small boat incident in the Channel
Border Force officers accompany a group of migrants as they are brought into Dover in Kent today
Some of the migrants are seen on a double decker bus after arriving at Dover Marina in Kent today
Asked about the delay in a round of interviews this morning, Mr Hinds said: 'Absolutely we are working closely with the French and I expect that question that you have raised to be finalised in the coming weeks.'
He told BBC News: 'I didn't say it was an error, it is a process to be worked through when you are transferring what are very large sums of taxpayers' money.'
But in a warning shot at the French, Mr Hinds said: 'I would like to see increased activity, increased turnback (of migrants). France is a safe country. If you are seeking asylum, you should claim it in the first safe country you come to.'
Alarm has been growing about the situation, with more than 1,000 people making the dangerous trip from France to the UK in just two days last week.
After 10 days in which no crossings were possible due to bad weather, at least 40 boats managed to reach Britain on Friday and Saturday.
A group of migrants are brought into Dover in Kent today by Border Force officers after crossing the English Channel
A migrant has their life jacket removed after being brought into Dover in Kent today by Border Force officers
A group of migrants are brought into Dover in Kent today by Border Force officers after crossing the Channel
Migrants are brought in to Dover by Border Force officers today following a small boat incident in the Channel
A group of migrants are brought into Dover in Kent today by Border Force officers following a small boat incident
Border Force officers are seen leaving Dover Marina on jet skis today as the Channel crossings continue
A group of migrants are brought into Dover Marina in Kent today on the Border Force vessel 'Hunter'
A group of migrants are brought in to Dover in Kent today by Border Force officers following a small boat incident
Since the start of the year, more than 18,000 people are thought to have succeeded in reaching the UK on board small boats.
A flurry of crossing attempts on Friday saw 624 people reach the UK – the fourth highest daily tally on record during the current crisis.
Crossings continued on Saturday with at least 491 people, including children, arriving in Britain after making the perilous journey.
The figures were confirmed by the Home Office on Sunday morning, as the Border Force was once again active in the Channel.
Border Force jet skis are seen leaving Dover Marina in Kent today as small boat crossings over the Channel continue
Migrants are brought into Dover Marina on board the Border Force vessel Hunter today following another Channel crossing
A migrant is accompanied by a Border Force official at Dover Marina today as they arrive on the Kent coast
A migrant walks along Dover Marina in Kent with a Border Force official after arriving in Britain following a Channel crossing
Migrants sit or stand on the back of the Border Force vessel Hunter as they arrive at Dover Marina today
Border Force jet skis are seen leaving Dover Marina today as migrants continue to make their way across the Channel
A group of migrants are brought into Dover Marina today as the Channel crossings today
A migrant holds a water bottle as they are brought ashore at Dover Marina in Kent today following another Channel crossing
More people were seen arriving in Dover on Sunday as crossings continued for a third day in a row.
A young girl wearing a pink jacket was seen being helped to put on woolly hat by a border official in the port, one of a number of children who have made the dangerous crossing in the last few days.
Thousands of people have continued to cross from France in 2021 despite the UK pledging to send millions of pounds to the French authorities to tackle the crisis.
After visiting Dunkirk on Saturday, Mr Darmanin said: 'For now, not one euro has been paid.
Border Force jet skis are seen leaving Dover Marina today as migrants continue to make their way across the Channel
Migrants are brought in by the Border Force vessel 'Hunter' today as they walk onto Dover Marina and the crossings continue
Migrants are pictured sitting on a double decker bus after arriving at Dover Marina in Kent today
The migrants are brought into Dover Marina in Kent today on board the Border Force vessel 'Hunter'
Migrants sit or stand on board a double decker bus after arriving at Dover Marina in Kent today
Border Force officers are seen leaving Dover Marina on jet skis today as the Channel crossings continue
Migrants rest on board a double decker bus at Dover Marina in Kent today after crossing the Channel
'We are asking the British to keep their promises of financing because we are holding the border for them.'
He also called on Britain to take measures to reduce its 'attractiveness' for migrants without residency papers, without elaborating.
Asked yesterday about Mr Darmanin's comments, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told Sky News: 'Well, all I can say is that we have worked very effectively with the French government so far.
'We've had 300 arrests, we've worked with them to do that, there have been 65 convictions, and we both accept that there are something like 13,500 crossings that have been prevented through our working together, so it is a good collaborative relationship and we obviously want to improve that.'
Dan O'Mahoney, Clandestine Channel Threat Commander, said: 'The Government is determined to tackle the unacceptable rise in dangerous Channel crossings using every tool at our disposal, at every stage in the journey.
'Working with police and international partners, there have been nearly 300 arrests, 65 convictions related to small boat criminality and our targeted efforts have prevented more than 15,000 migrant attempts so far this year.
'But this is a complicated issue requiring changes to our laws. The Government's New Plan for Immigration provides a long term solution to fix the broken system and deliver the change required to tackle criminal gangs and prevent further loss of life.'
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMidGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRhaWx5bWFpbC5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FydGljbGUtMTAwNzk4MzMvTWluaXN0ZXJzLXNheS1GcmFuY2UtNTRtLWZ1bmRpbmctVUstQ2hhbm5lbC1taWdyYW50LW9wZXJhdGlvbi5odG1s0gF4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGFpbHltYWlsLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvYXJ0aWNsZS0xMDA3OTgzMy9hbXAvTWluaXN0ZXJzLXNheS1GcmFuY2UtNTRtLWZ1bmRpbmctVUstQ2hhbm5lbC1taWdyYW50LW9wZXJhdGlvbi5odG1s?oc=5
2021-10-11 14:54:55Z
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