UK welcomes French police puncturing boat to prevent migrants crossing Channel
The BBC broadcast footage of officers damaging the vessel, full of people, as it was about to set off, with PM Keir Starmer’s office calling it a ‘significant moment’
The British government said on Friday it welcomed footage showing French police stopping a small boat carrying migrants from setting off across the Channel.
The UK and France have been rowing for years about who should be responsible for dealing with many thousands of migrants who make their way from Africa and the Middle East to the northern coast of France in a bid to get to Britain by boat.
The BBC on Friday broadcast footage of French police puncturing a boat with a knife as it was about to set off for the UK, with dozens of migrants then making their way back to shore.
“What we saw this morning was a significant moment,” said a spokesman from Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office.
“We welcome action from French law enforcement to take action in shallow waters, and what you have seen in recent weeks is a toughening of their approach.”
French police are prevented by law from intervening once a boat is in the water.