French authorities have halted small boats at sea in the Channel on 10 occasions since the spring, officials confirmed on Friday, directly challenging claims by the Conservatives and Reform UK that French police are refusing to intervene in migrant crossings.
Maritime prefect officers have been using "intervention tactics" to board or control vessels at sea and return asylum seekers to France, according to officials. The disclosure comes as political parties seek to gain advantage over the small boats issue during the summer.
Political claims contradicted
Last week, shadow home secretary Chris Philp confronted French police on a beach near Boulogne and posted footage on X showing an officer saying: "Our order is to let them go. We just have to say to them, 'Don't do that. It's dangerous.'"
Earlier this week, Reform MP Lee Anderson visited Calais and claimed French police were "literally waving these people on to boats".
In an unusual intervention, Charlie Eastaugh, director of maritime and small boats at Border Security Command, said: "The incidents we have seen in the Channel over the last few weeks are a stark reminder of the dangers posed by criminal gangs exploiting people for profit. It is easy to look at out-of-context images and think little is happening to stop these crossings – this is simply not true."
French efforts detailed
Eastaugh added: "I know personally how tirelessly French officers have been working to disrupt launches before they reach UK shores. Their efforts include facing violent people with weapons, dispersing huge crowds, arresting smugglers, seizing equipment and collating vital evidence to help our prosecutions."
Every confrontation with asylum seekers was assessed by commanders and individual police officers and gendarmes, who balanced officer safety with public safety, including large groups of often agitated people and gang members.
On Sunday, when Andy Burnham visited HM Coastguard in Dover, Border Force officers had been warned of a "red day" – calm conditions conducive to multiple crossings. Two small boats attempted to launch from France; one was intercepted at sea, the other halted on land.
Crossings down 43%
Small boat crossings in the Channel are down by 43% compared with January to mid-July 2025 – from 21,690 people last year to 12,469 in the same period this year. The drop occurred despite hot, dry conditions typically associated with increased crossings.
UK officials attribute the decline to government initiatives, including an additional £660m in April to finance French authorities, which has disrupted people smugglers' business models in northern France.
Gangs are adapting, launching boats further along the coast, including from Belgium and as far south as Dieppe – a 70-mile (113km) journey to the UK, versus 27 miles from Calais to Dover. Officials are concerned about "mega-dinghies" – larger motorised boats – putting more lives at risk. On Tuesday, over 170 migrants were rescued after their boat caught fire.
Political reaction
The sustained drop is welcome for Burnham, allowing him to focus on policy in his early weeks in government. Home secretary Shabana Mahmood, kept in post by Burnham, has been cautious about celebrating, mindful that the trend could reverse with late summer or autumn arrivals.
