Shabana Mahmood Reveals What France Is Doing to Stop Illegal Migrants Reaching the UK in Small Boats

Shabana Mahmood has defended French police over their efforts to stop migrants from crossing the English Channel in small boats, saying French officers are already doing their part.

The Home Secretary said the area at the water’s edge is actually the most difficult place to stop people because once migrants are already near the sea, there is a serious risk to their lives.

She explained that French officers have to think about safety when people are already in the water and decide how best to respond.

Ms Mahmood said people should not only look at what happens directly on the beaches. She said that just a few hundred yards away from the water, French police are carrying out a lot of operations to stop migrants from reaching the coast in the first place.

She said there is “a huge amount of work” being done by French law enforcement and insisted that the French are “doing their bit” to help reduce Channel crossings.

The comments come as the Government faces continued pressure to stop migrants from making dangerous journeys across the Channel in small boats.

Under a £660 million agreement with France, Britain is paying for French authorities to detain and remove migrants who are trying to cross the Channel. Officers are expected to target people on French beaches before they can get into small boats.

Those detained are expected to be taken to a new removal centre in Dunkirk. While that centre is being built, officials are expected to use an existing removal facility in Coquelles.

Home Office sources have said that if the agreement does not help reduce the number of Channel crossings, Britain could stop paying for parts of the scheme.

Ms Mahmood also confirmed that some deportations have already taken place under the agreement.

However, she would not confirm whether the new detention centre in Dunkirk will be ready by the end of the year.

She warned that Britain would only continue funding measures that are shown to work. She said that if parts of the plan are found not to be working later this year or next year, the Government will stop funding those parts.

The Home Secretary also promised that the Government would go “further and faster” in its efforts to stop small boat crossings.

Her comments came as people smugglers have started using what have been described as “mega-dinghies”, which can carry hundreds of migrants at once.

Ms Mahmood said the change in tactics showed that smugglers were finding it harder to operate because of the new measures being introduced with France. She warned that the Government would continue looking for ways to stop them.

The Government has also faced criticism over figures showing that only around 6,100 small boat migrants have been removed since Labour came into office.

Ms Mahmood confirmed that ministers are still considering the use of third-country return hubs, where failed asylum seekers could be sent to another country.

She said discussions about these possible arrangements are taking place with countries across Europe and in other parts of the world.

The Home Secretary said the most important question for any future agreement would be whether it actually works and whether it can operate within the law.

She admitted that there are no simple answers to the problem, but said the Government would judge any plan by whether it is effective and legally acceptable.

There is also growing debate over where asylum seekers should be housed across the UK.

Ms Mahmood said the Government wants a wider mix of accommodation, including military sites, former student accommodation, bedsits and homes where several people live.

She said asylum accommodation should be spread more fairly across different parts of the country instead of placing large numbers of asylum seekers in just one community.

She also acknowledged that changes in the population and the use of housing for asylum seekers can affect local communities, particularly because asylum seekers may move in and out of accommodation.

Ms Mahmood said she understands why some local residents are worried about asylum accommodation.

Speaking about her own Birmingham Ladywood constituency, she said she understands the concerns people have and why the issue can cause worry.

She added that people living in wealthier areas can have many of the same concerns as those living in less wealthy communities when asylum accommodation is placed nearby.