Minister hits out at French inaction on migrant taxis’

The defence secretary has hit out at shocking” scenes of migrants being picked up by people smugglers like a taxi” to be brought to the UK on dangerous small boats while French police stand by.

- KATE DEVLIN

A furious row has erupted over the lack of action after more than 1,000 people crossed the channel in a single day on Saturday.

French police officers were seen watching as migrants, including children, boarded at a beach in Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk, while authorities were then pictured escorting the boats.

John Healey said it was a “big problem” that French police had not intervened to intercept the boats in shallow waters and said ministers were pushing the French government to implement an agreement that they would.

The authorities in France had to “stop these people in the boats, not just on the shore”, he added.

Mr Healey told the