France will start stopping migrant vessels in Channel after UK pressure

France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.

French police have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.

"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."

Currently, a French naval police representative says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.

Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to disable the engines of the boats.

The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister departed from government.

That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.

Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.

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