French cops are failing to stop enough Channel migrants for half-a-billion pounds Brits are paying them, Starmer blasts
FRENCH cops are failing to stop enough Channel migrants for the enormous sums British taxpayers are handing over, Sir Keir Starmer declared today.
The Labour leader pledged to “improve” the half-a-billion-pound deal with Emmanuel Macron because it was “not proving effective”.
Rishi Sunak inked the agreement in Paris early last year that sees the UK stump up cash for France’s help intercepting small boats.
But since then tens of thousands of migrants have illegally made the dangerous sea crossing, and prevention rates are low.
Grilled by the Sun if taxpayers are getting value for money and he would keep the agreement, Sir Keir said: “I think we need to improve on that.
“All the reports I’ve seen on that initiative show that it’s not proving effective, and I think that’s shown by the numbers that we’re seeing, record numbers. We need to renew that.”
Britain is set to pay £161million to Paris in 2024/25, and a further £176million in 2025/26.
Speaking in Basingstoke, Sir Keir also stressed the need for a Border Security Command to flush out the smuggling gangs, as well as an EU-wide deal on security.
The Tories have claimed this new taskforce amounts to a rip-off of an existing unit and that a deal with Brussels would see the UK accept a share of their illegal migrants.
Illegal immigration is a key dividing line in the election, with Rishi Sunak today hailing his Rwanda plan that Sir Keir has vowed to scrap.
Reacting to kids making the journey, PM said: “It’s desperately sad to see young children being put in these very dangerous situations, making these crossings, which illustrates why we have to stop the boats, something I’m determined to do and have a clear plan to do so.
“If re-elected as Prime Minister, the flights will go to Rwanda, we will build that deterrent, removing the incentive for people to come here in the first place.
“That’s the only way to solve this problem and in contrast Keir Starmer would release everyone that we have detained, illegal migrants would be on our streets, they wouldn’t be on the planes, which would be cancelled. There would be no deterrent.”