Rishi Sunak confirms £74million for new Navy cutters to crackdown on illegal migrants
BRITAIN’S borders will be beefed with a new fleet of cutters to curb illegal immigration, Rishi Sunak confirmed.
The chancellor unveiled cash to buy a brand new fleet of 11 Navy patrol ships to stop illegal Channel crossings.
The £75m pot of cash will go into overhauling Britain’s dilapidated fleet of border patrol vessels to stop gangs of people smugglers trafficking people from France.
Over 18,500 people have arrived on small boat arrivals this year and ministers are under growing pressure to stem the tide.
This month 2,495 people have made the crossing alone – nearly five times the number that crossed in October 2020.
Earlier this year The Sun revealed Home Secretary Priti Patel has ordered civil servants to intercept migrants in the Channel using jet skis.
The complicated maneuver requires two jet skis to circle the dinghy.
One pushes the boat back from the bow, while the second nudges the stern at its motor.
After the boat has spun round, the jet skis escort it back to French waters — hoping the migrants, who have no sailing expertise, will not be able to turn back towards Britain.
Earlier this month the Home Sec revealed she had called in the military to deal with the small boats crisis.
At her conference speech in Manchester she confirmed for the first time that migrants crossing the Channel could be turned back by British forces.
She said: “Boris and I have worked intensively with every institution with a responsibility to protect our Borders — Border Force, the police, the National Crime Agency, maritime experts, and, yes, the military — to deliver operational solutions including new sea tactics.”
She also vowed to crackdown on illegal immigration and promised to prioritise those who play by the rules, adding: “For the first time, how somebody arrives in the United Kingdom will impact how their asylum claim is processed.
“Our new laws will speed up the removal of those with no legal right to be in our country.
“France is a safe country, one not riven by war or conflict. There is no reason why any asylum seeker should come to the UK directly from France.
“I make no apology for securing our borders and exploring all options to save lives by ending these horrific journeys.”