France accused of 'encouraging people smuggling' as GB News obtains damning new video

The migrants are then seen catching the vests and shouting their thanks back.

The rigid inflatable craft is believed to have come from the French border patrol vessel Ridens, which can also be seen in the video a few hundred yards from the migrant boat.

The former head of Border Force, Tony Smith told GB News that the controversial practice could be seen as encouraging the people smugglers.

"Actually, we are paying the French quite a lot of money to stop human smuggling. By handing out life jackets to people who are already at sea, it doesn't really discourage people from getting into boats in the future," he said.

"The smugglers will say, don't worry. You know, this will be a safe crossing because the French authorities will be there and will be helping us by giving us life support devices.

"So, in my view, this isn't a good measure by the French."

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has also criticised the move.

He told GB News: “It is the responsibility of the French authorities to stop these boats before they launch.

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"That must remain the focus, not managing the crossings mid-Channel or handing out lifejackets and waving people on, but deterring the crossing in the first place.

"On Starmer’s watch, 2025 is already the worst year on record for illegal Channel crossings and the Government has no credible plan to stop it."

This latest video proof of the distribution of life jackets comes after GB obtained a recording last month of a radio conversation between the French and UK authorities, in which they discuss the return of life jackets they had given to migrants.

Speaking to the Telegraph at the time, a spokesman for France’s North Sea maritime prefecture said: “Depending on the assessment of the situation on small boats, French maritime authorities can distribute life jackets.

“It is not systematic and depends on the assessment of the risks and benefits of the situation and the cooperation of the people being assisted."

But Smith said the practice was counterproductive.

"Actually, it's not helpful because what we really want the French to do is to stop a vessel leaving France in the first place.
That is the best way of saving lives," he said.

"And if they already have small vessels like these that are capable of going alongside migrant vessels safely, then why are they not deploying those in the shallow waters off the beaches of France and putting people back into France, where they can be certainly made safe.

"I'm afraid this policy is simply encouraging more irregular migration, and I'm afraid more will still drown."

This year has already seen record number of small boat migrants make the illegal journey to the UK. Since the beginning of the year, 11,516 migrants have crossed from France.

That figure is 35 per cent higher than the number who had crossed at this point last year.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "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."