The UK will pay France £8m more a year under a revised deal to try to stop people crossing the English Channel in small boats. The money will pay for increased surveillance of French beaches, while UK police officers will also be able to observe patrols within France.
French officers patrolling the coast to try to stop people setting off will rise from 200 to 300 over five months.
PM Rishi Sunak said he was “confident” the crossings could be brought down.
However, he warned there was no “single thing” that could “fix” the situation, promising “even greater cooperation” with France in the months ahead.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called the deal a “small step in the right direction,” but said more need to be done to tackle people smuggling. The government is coming under increasing pressure to reduce journeys across the Channel, which have risen to record levels this year.
More than 40,000 people have crossed in small boats so far this year, including 1,800 this weekend alone, according to official figures.
Under the new agreement, signed by Home Secretary Suella Braverman in Paris, the UK will pay France £63m this year, up from £55m last year.
Credit: bbc.com
