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UK angers France with migrants plan
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Britain and France locked horns yesterday over reported plans by London to turn back boats carrying migrants across the Channel, triggering alarm and anger in Paris.
According to Britain鈥檚 domestic Press Association news agency, at least 14,100 people have now crossed the Channel to the United Kingdom on small boats this year 鈥 some 6,000 more than for the whole of 2020.
A record 828 people crossed over from France on a single day in late August, as traffickers took advantage of favorable late-summer weather.
The growing number of boats is proving increasingly embarrassing for Home Secretary Priti Patel, who has carved out a reputation for being tough on immigration and law and order.
鈥淭aking back control鈥 of Britain鈥檚 border was a key part of the campaign to take the country out of the European Union in the divisive 2016 Brexit referendum.
But several newspapers said she has now secured legal advice and sanctioned the use of 鈥減ushback鈥 tactics to turn back the small boats before they reach Britain鈥檚 south coast.
She has also reportedly threatened to withhold millions in funding pledged to Paris to help tackle the issue.
However, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said yesterday that France would not accept Britain violating international maritime law.
鈥淔rance will not accept any practice that breaks maritime law, nor any financial blackmail,鈥 Darmanin wrote on Twitter.
鈥淏ritain鈥檚 commitments must be respected. I said this clearly to my counterpart,鈥 he noted, a day after meeting Patel.
France has a policy of not intercepting or turning back migrant boats unless they ask for help, and instead escorts them to British waters.
That has stoked anger in Brexit-supporting sections of the British media and the government in London, who accuse France of shirking its responsibilities.
Patel held talks with Darmanin on Wednesday, and has threatened to withdraw Britain鈥檚 54-million pound (US$74.63 million) payment to France, unless more are stopped.
France for its part has said it would not make the payment 鈥渃onditional on numerical targets,鈥 warning that to do so would damage relations.
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