The UK handed over the first instalment of £54 million in funding for extra police patrols and surveillance after Mr Darmanin pledged to deliver a 100 per cent interception rate once all the money had been paid.
In a statement issued to The Telegraph at the weekend, Ms Patel said that last week’s migrant crossings showed “we must do more.” “I want to go further and faster and that’s why I will be holding talks with Monsieur Darmanin this week,” she added.
“There is no single solution to this global crisis, but I am clear that through our New Plan for Immigration and our partnership with the French, we will together break this business model and stop vulnerable people putting themselves in the hands of vile criminals, and their lives at risk.”
It follows one of the worst weeks for crossings, with 2,449 migrants reaching the UK last week, taking the number this year to more than 23,500, almost three times as many as last year’s total of 8,417, itself a record.
Migrant crisis ‘biggest issue for voters’
The crisis has fuelled tensions between Tory MPs over the direction of the Government, especially from “Red Wall” MPs who helped Boris Johnson secure his majority of 80 seats in the 2019 election.
One senior Red Wall MP said the migrant crisis cut through more than almost any other issue – whether sleaze, climate change or national insurance rises. “It is all about taking back control of our own borders,” he said.
“I would say there is a lull in hostilities between Tory backbenchers and the Government over the migrant crisis. If the new immigration Bill doesn’t work six months after it has gone through, then all hell will break loose.”
Alexander Stafford, the Conservative MP for Rother Valley, said: “Apart from Covid, dealing with the migrant crisis is the number one priority for my constituents. The Government must put relentless focus on sorting out the mess going on in the Channel.”
Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Commons foreign affairs committee, said Britain should build partnerships with other countries rather than “indulge in an international blame-game” to stop Channel crossings.
He said the UK’s politicians and border police “need to fight much harder” to identify and prosecute people traffickers.
It was reported on Sunday that Paul Lincoln, the outgoing head of the Border Force, had told staff in a leaving speech that “bloody borders” were “just such a pain in the bloody a—.” Sources said it was a “small part of a wider speech”.
It also emerged the PCS union for Border Force guards is considering applying for a judicial review to prevent the Home Office deploying the controversial tactic of turning back migrant boats at sea.
