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French presidential hopeful says UK’s ‘shocking’ immigration policies are to blame for small boats crisis and says situation is ‘absurd’
Édouard Philippe, a French presidential hopeful and former prime minister, says Britain’s immigration policies help drive Channel small-boat crossings and make French efforts to stop them incoherent. He has threatened to renegotiate or end the UK-France border agreement if Britain does not tighten its rules and pay more towards policing, potentially changing how the two countries manage their shared border.
The UK agreed to pay France £662 million over three years, covering about half the cost of the policing operation. Philippe argues that Britain grants residency or asylum to almost two-thirds of small-boat arrivals and says people whose claims are refused can still remain and work. Home Office figures cited in the article record 1,670 crossings from Thursday to Sunday, bringing the reported total since Andy Burnham became prime minister to 10,136; the article also notes that the government has revised proposed settlement rules after opposition within Labour.
In short
- Philippe blames UK immigration rules for encouraging Channel crossings.
- He threatens to review the border treaty and seek more funding.
- The article reports 1,670 arrivals over four days.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Philippe’s case is that Britain’s rules can make crossing the Channel more attractive if many arrivals gain residency or asylum, while people refused protection may still be able to stay and work. If the UK benefits from French enforcement but does not address incentives or contribute fairly to its cost, renegotiating the agreement could be a reasonable way to press for shared responsibility and a more coherent border policy.
The case against
The UK could argue that asylum and settlement decisions must reflect individual claims, legal duties and humanitarian protection, rather than being tightened chiefly to deter crossings. France also has a responsibility to manage departures from its territory, and threatening the border agreement risks weakening practical cooperation; the UK’s existing £662 million contribution is substantial, while the reported figures alone do not establish that its immigration policies are driving the crossings.
Europe Government Politics UK World