UK and France strike new £662m small boats deal
Summary
The UK and France have agreed on a new £662 million deal to stop illegal migrants from crossing the English Channel by small boats. The deal includes sending specially trained French police to beaches, using drones and helicopters, and new surveillance tools to find and stop people smugglers.Key Facts
- The deal is worth £662 million and will last three years.
- About 50 French police officers trained in riot control will work on beaches to stop migrants and manage crowds.
- France will use drones, two new helicopters, and new cameras to monitor and intercept migrants and smugglers.
- The UK may reduce or withdraw around £100 million of funding after one year if the crossings do not decrease enough.
- In 2025, about 41,472 people arrived in the UK by small boats crossing the Channel.
- The previous deal, worth £476 million, involved 700 French officers patrolling beaches but was due to end soon.
- The number of officers on the new deal will increase to about 1,100, including law enforcement, intelligence, and military personnel.
- Some UK politicians criticize the deal, arguing France should do more or that the UK should leave the European Convention on Human Rights to stop crossings.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.