Too many government agencies are involved in trying to stop the cross-Channel migrants’ boat crisis, according to a former Royal Navy patrol boat commander.
Tom Sharpe said they often compete with each other for limited resources which is hampering efforts.
He told GB News: “I think the simple solution is in the sheer number of agencies involved. I made a list before coming on here and stopped at 15.
Rishi Sunak has made tackling the migrant crisis one of his top five priorities
Gareth Fuller
“There is just a huge amount of agency involvement and they're not always complying with each other, they're not always helping each other, they're not always complimentary.
“Some of these agencies are competing for limited resources, there's friction, there's competition - there always is.
“It's never been fully coherent at the Home Office level and last year's attempt to sort of flick that on to defence and on to the Navy was supposed to be part of that, but it was flawed because they were never properly empowered.
“The short answer to your question is too many agencies that are competing with each other.”
In an interview with Tom Harwood, Sharpe said he doubted that the issue could be solved within the Prime Minister’s goal of the end of the year.
He said: “I think it's going to take longer than a year. I really do.
“I’m hearing that there have been very positive conversations between defence agencies, between our Ministry of Defence and in France and they're really looking at the National Crime Agency discussion.
“These are fundamental to helping turn this situation around in terms of breaking the business model inland, going up to the economics of the criminals who are profiting from this business.
Government agencies are competing against each other when dealing with the crisis
Gareth Fuller
“That's fundamental but and that's really starting to happen behind the scenes that you could argue again, perhaps a bit late, but it is happening.
“If you then tackle the legal and legitimate applications, as has been suggested, and I think that will turn the corner but there'll be a lag.”
He added: “What's encouraging about the current dialogue is it does seem to be looking at this much more holistically than was the case previously.
“And of course, this is a massive problem that needs a comprehensive solution so anything that can deter and detect and then process is better than what’s currently in place is good news.
“It is encouraging to hear the holistic solution at least being discussed. Time will tell if it's going to actually be put in place.”