Home Secretary declares migrants crossing English Channel a 'major incident'
2 min read
The escalating number of migrants trying to cross the English Channel has become a “major incident”, the Home Secretary has declared.
The intervention came as two boats carrying 12 men from Syria and Iran were intercepted as they made the journey from Calais to Dover, taking the total number of people who have been detained attempting the crossing since Christmas day to 82.
In response to the crisis, Sajid Javid demanded an urgent phone call with his French counterpart.
A Home Office spokesman said Mr Javid had insisted his department “treat the situation as a major incident and has appointed a Gold Commander and asked for daily updates.
They added: "The Home Secretary has also asked for an urgent call with his French counterpart over the weekend to reaffirm the continuing need for the UK and France to work closely together to tackle the problem.
"He has also commissioned detailed options from Border Force about the provision of additional vessels in the Channel, including another Border Force cutter, and whether this is likely to encourage more people to try and make the crossing rather than act as a deterrence."
Dover MP Charlie Elphicke said: "The Home Office need to take this problem more seriously and step up resources along the Kent coast - with more cutters and patrol craft."
The Conservative backbencher will tomorrow meet Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes, and is demanding "deeds, not words" over the issue.
Responding to reports yesterday, Ms Nokes said: "We are in close and continual contact with the French authorities and law enforcement partners including through the new UK-France Coordination and Information Centre which opened in Calais at the end of last month to tackle criminality at the border.
"Attempting to cross the Channel in this way is extremely dangerous and they are putting their lives at risk."
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