French politicians have claimed they have “no solution” to stop small boats coming to the UK, despite Sir Keir Starmer announcing a new £662million to stop migrants crossing the Channel.
They have claimed the new agreement with Britain will “not change anything” as they criticised the deal, which will see at least 50 riot-trained officers on the beaches and improved security.
Alain Boonefaes, a deputy mayor in charge of security in Gravelines, told La Voix Du Nord: “The money of the British will be used to secure a sector but we only move the pile of sand.
“It starts from everywhere. It is a subject that must be dealt with at the global level. We have no solution.
“There will always be an influx of people who want to join the UK.”
Antoine Benoit, the Mayor of Audresselles, nearly 10 miles west of Calais, commented: “We have gendarmes driving all night – it will not change anything.”
Mr Benoit sai he was “disillusioned”, adding: “There is no political treatment of the problem. We are not listened to.”
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp fumed at the comments and continued his call for Britain to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
French officials have admitted the new £662million deal 'won't change anything'
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He told The Mail on Sunday: “This confirms what we have known all along. Shabana Mahmood has handed over half a billion pounds of our money to the French, most of it without performance conditions – and it will make no difference whatsoever.
“Last year the French stopped barely a third of embarkation attempts, and even with those the illegal immigrants were released to try again the next day.
“I have even witnessed with my own eyes French police ushering illegal immigrants on to buses headed towards the beaches.
“Illegal immigrants crossing the channel are up 45 per cent since the election and Starmer has presided over more illegal crossings than any Prime Minister in history.
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“We need to leave the ECHR so all illegal immigrants can be deported within a week of arrival. Then the crossings would soon stop.
“That is the Conservative plan, but the Labour government is too weak to do it.”
A Dover-based fisherman said he did not think the French had made any “real” attempt to stop the boats.
He argued: “'It won't surprise me if there is not another 200,000. I see the French navy escort the migrants over.
“There is no deterrent.
"If they wanted to, I think they could stop it tomorrow. But they don't.”
The news comes just weeks after GB News revealed more than 200,000 have now crossed the Channel since records began in 2018.
The People's Channel obtained a social media video one migrant posted live as they set off from the shores of northern France on the journey across the Channel to confirm the news.
A Home Office spokesman responded: “This Government is bearing down on small boat crossings.
"The Home Secretary has signed a landmark new deal with France to boost enforcement action on beaches and put people smugglers behind bars.
"This builds on joint work that has stopped over 42,000 illegal migrants attempting to cross the channel since the election.
“We have removed or deported almost 60,000 people who were here illegally and are going further to remove the incentives that draw illegal migrants to this country.”
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