Reform UK proposes using navy to stop migrant boats

Reform UK, an anti-immigration party led by Nigel Farage, has unveiled a plan to deploy the Royal Navy to intercept migrant boats crossing the English Channel. The proposal aims to return migrant vessels directly to France, a policy that the Conservative government previously considered and dismissed.

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Reform UK will order the Royal Navy to ensure that no boat crossing the English Channel illegally reaches the shores of the United Kingdom.

Party officials stated that the operation would be the largest naval deployment in the Channel since World War II. They claim that if France objects, the UK would reconsider financial aid provided to France for border control. This proposal comes amid ongoing discussions about illegal migration, particularly after thousands of migrants recently entered Spain's Ceuta enclave from Morocco.

However, military experts and opposition parties have quickly criticized the plan, labeling it unworkable. They point to a lack of necessary military resources within the UK and raise concerns about the diplomatic implications of forcibly returning boats to France. The proposal also surfaces as Reform UK faces scrutiny over its finances and potential undeclared financial interests by party officials.

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Those who attempt to do so will be intercepted by our armed forces and returned to France.

Reform UK's home affairs spokesman, Ziyad Yusuf, defended the plan's feasibility, stating that the Royal Navy would ensure no unauthorized boats reach British shores. He added that any objections from France would lead to a diplomatic dispute and a review of UK funding. The UK and France recently signed a three-year agreement worth up to 766 million euros to enhance border security and combat illegal crossings.

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If the French object, then, as I said, we will go back to the negotiating table regarding the money that Great Britain pays to France for this and get into a diplomatic dispute.