France plans to begin intercepting small boats at sea, says UK Home Office
Briefly

The French government is planning to intercept small boats carrying asylum seekers even if they are already at sea, with intentions to curb dangerous crossings to its beaches. NGOs have criticized this strategy, arguing it could endanger lives. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper expressed concern over the slow response by French officials as record numbers of irregular crossings occur. Current interventions by French authorities are limited, preventing them from stopping boats once they are in water, although plans are underway to change these guidelines. This issue is expected to heavily influence future electoral contests, particularly for the Labour party.
The French government's plan to intercept small boats carrying asylum seekers at sea has raised concerns from NGOs about the potential to endanger lives.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper highlighted that less than 200 people were stopped by French authorities despite a record number of 1,195 people arriving in the UK.
Current guidelines restrict French police's ability to intervene offshore, complicating efforts to prevent small boat crossings to the UK.
As irregular immigration numbers rise, Labour officials recognize that this issue will be pivotal in upcoming elections, impacting Keir Starmer's leadership.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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