Rishi Sunak ‘paying wrong people’ to stop Channel migrants by giving £500million to France
RISHI Sunak was yesterday accused by a senior Tory of paying the wrong people to stop Channel migrants by giving £500million to France.
The PM, who agreed the payments in March, felt the wrath of former minister Sir Tim Loughton, who said Belgium had stopped 90 per cent of small boats without receiving any extra cash.
Sir Tim told the BBC: “What are we getting for the £500million the taxpayer has used to subsidise the French police force in tackling migrant boats?
“We give nothing to the Belgians.
“They have reduced the number of people coming across by 90 per cent.
“Are we paying the right people?”
His remarks came as another 211 people made the perilous journey across the Channel on Tuesday — bringing the total to 2,000 in the last seven days alone.
So far, 18,799 have made the dangerous journey across the Channel this year.
Good weather is expected for the next few days, meaning more crossings are likely — pushing the total beyond the 19,000 mark.
It came as a French minister for the sea pulled out of a BBC interview at the last minute — citing a diary clash.
Meanwhile, damning immigration figures are expected to today show thousands of visas still being issued despite a crackdown on dependants.
Mr Sunak agreed the £500million payment over three years at a summit with France President Emmanuel Macron in March.
No10 has insisted crossings are down on last year and its plan to stop the boats is having an effect.