The two countries “agreed on the urgency of reinforcing the fight against illegal crossings”. In recent months, the British Prime Minister had reproached his lack of zeal on the subject.
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Responding from 10 November Downing Street, Boris Johnson said he was “shocked, dismayed and deeply saddened” by the tragic disappearance of at least 27 people a few hours earlier off Calais. The British Prime Minister immediately called for more collaborating, because “the operations conducted by our friends [the French] on the beaches, supported by 54 million British silver pounds, were not sufficient. (…) It is now time to intensify our efforts, work together and do everything to put an end to the activities of murderers gangs “.
The day before, Prii Patel, his Minister of the Interior had confirmed information from the Times, that the Home Office had proposed in Paris to send British policemen to help their French colleagues to patrol the beaches of the Pas- de-Calais to avoid the departures of Small Boats. This offer was rejected by the French government, to believe the Times.
“We have had difficulty persuading some of our partners, including the French, to take the steps that the situation claims. I understand the difficulties in which countries face, but we want to work more together (…) Areas concerned, “said Johnson, even more explicit Wednesday. A little later in the evening, following a telephone interview with Emmanuel Macron, a spokesman for the 10 Downing Street said that “the British Prime Minister and the French President agreed on the urgency of reinforcing the fight against illegal crossings “.
Does this call for collaborating a change in posture on the British side? In recent months, the Home Office has continued to denounce a supposed lack of hexagonal zeal, even suggesting in September that if the French police did not stop more of Small Boats, London would not pay the 54 million pounds of aid. Additional last summer to finance a reinforcement of police and logistical staff on the Pas-de-Calais beaches. But these threats did only point the hexagonal authorities, and deteriorate a little more of the already deplorable Franco-British relations.
FEARLY at Downing Street
It must be said that Downing Street faces a serious political crisis: Wednesday’s drama has sparked a strong emotion in the country, NGOs and the Labor opposition deputies deploring an “preventable drama” and denouncing the “Hostile environment” with regard to migrants created by the Home Office in recent years. Many voices, Wednesday, called for a “more worthy” treatment of migrants. “The words count. The poor souls who have disappeared in the handle deserve to be qualified for what they are: human people. Men, women, children, mothers, fathers, girls and sons . They loved and they were loved. In other words, they were like us, “said Angela Rayner, the number two of the Labor Party on Twitter .
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