Government spent £25million deploying military in Channel to stop migrant crossings

THE Government spent nearly £25million deploying the military in the Channel to stop migrant crossings.

Royal Navy vessels were sent out to act as a deterrent after the Ministry of Defence took responsibility for illegal crossings from the Home Office.

EPA

Migrant numbers have continued to soar despite the big spending to try and deter crossings[/caption]

The Sun on Sunday told last month how it had cost £20million, before Operation Isotrope – which started last April – finished on January 31.

Now a Freedom of Information request has revealed the final figure to be £24.77million – an average cost of £84,553 a day to taxpayers.

Despite the military intervention, migrant numbers have continued to soar – with 45,728 landing in small boats in 2022, plus 1,180 in 27 vessels last month.

Dover MP Natalie Elphicke previously said the mammoth cost of Isotrope “underlines the importance of bringing this small boats crisis to an end”.

PA

Ministers have blown a huge £25million deploying the Royal Navy to try and halt the growing Channel small boats crisis[/caption]