France has admitted it needs to stop more small boats entering the UK and said it would consider sending migrants back from Britain.
President Emmanuel Macron’s border chief explained returning the illegal settlers is likely to send a clear message they should not risk their lives to make the dangerous crossing.
It comes as the French have been under increasing pressure to put an end to the flow of migrants despite a £500million deterrence boost from UK taxpayers.
There are calls the country’s navy escorting boats should travel across busy shipping lanes until the are picked up by the UK Border Force.
Speaking to The Sun, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said: ‘We have to deal with the crossings.
‘Up until now, we considered it to be a French doctrine that we would save people on the seas — but that we would take no risk whatsoever.
‘I’ve seen a number of videos where the taxi boats come close to the coast to pick up the migrants in water that’s not very deep, and I think that our gendarmes cannot intervene.’
Of the 150,000 migrants who have crossed since 2018, three per cent have been deported to their home country.
But a returns deal would be an attempt to break the smugglers’ business model.
Mr Retailleau said he thought there should be an bilateral agreement between governments as currently many of those landing on British soil ‘don’t come back’.
He added other European countries also ought to close smuggling routes, singling out Belgium and Germany.
But speaking at the Policy Exchange think tank in London, he made reference to some of the difficulties in trying to stop the gangs.
Mr Retailleau said: ‘As we dismantle one, another one crops up.’
He also said Home Secretary Yvette Cooper needed to crack down on illegal working, a source of attraction for Channel migrants to the UK.
Last month, French navy officers refused to rescue 60 distressed migrants on a cramped boat filled with water in its territory – and instead asked Border Force for help.
Officials spent hours this morning shadowing a packed migrant boat – mostly men – across the Channel, sparking extraordinary scenes.
But the situation quickly went awry, as they could be heard shouting and screaming ‘help’ and waving their hands at a nearby French navy boat.
Fours hours after the French Navy had began following a dinghy at 5.50am, around 1.3 miles away from the French coast, they radioed the UK Border Force about the distressed boat.
During the conversation on a public radio system – which can be listened to on any boat – one French official could be heard informing the British service that the boat was full of water and migrants were waving their hands.
One said: ‘Do you have a rib to clear the situation if possible?’
Border Force replied: ‘Regarding sending our rib into French water. If possible, it would be preferred if you could launch your rib in your side and if there is any distress, we will come into French waters. But yeah, are you able to launch your rib over?’
The French did as requested and nine miles later handed over the migrants to a UK Border Force vessel, who were then returned to Dover.
One witness said: ‘This was a complete taxi service. The French said these migrants were distressed and needed help. But it didn’t rescue them. Instead they asked Britain.
‘When Britain were not keen, the French simply escorted them into British water. It’s appalling.’