An ex-Border Force boss has mentioned he's "optimistic" about Britain’s efforts to "stem the flow" of unlawful Channel crossings however hit out at France for its poor efforts to sort out the migrant crisis. 

Tony Smith joined Nigel Farage on GB News tonight in attacking the French for its technique of non-intervention on the water, simply days after the British asylum backlog hit a document excessive.

Despite the full variety of asylum seeker purposes within the yr as much as June being 78,000, Mr Smith famous that the variety of small boats making the damaging channel crossing has dropped barely, in keeping with Government statistics.

He mentioned: "We're not seeing this huge escalation that some commentators were suggesting we would've had by this time, so I'm still optimistic that we're doing something to stem the flow at least."

Recent figures recommend the full variety of small boat crossings in 2023 has dropped by greater than 10 per cent in comparison with the identical interval final yr.

Mr Smith doubted whether or not "it was ever realistic" that Britain would be capable to obtain the Government’s pledge to Stop the Boats. 

He mentioned one of many causes for that is that the UK can’t power the French to do extra to sort out the disaster.

Mr Smith mentioned: "I would like to stand up for some of the work we have been trying to do with the French.

"But as you understand, what we will do in France on the French seashores is severely restricted by our capability to intervene as a result of we won't management, finally, what the French or EU determine to do on their border."

Once a small boat leaves the beach, French Coastguards will not intervene unless the dinghy is in distress and the migrants are likely to co-operate.

They will, instead, escort the small boats to within 12 miles of the British coast where the UK border force can then intervene.

Mr Smith added: "Their argument has at all times been that effectively as a result of migrants do not actually need to be rescued by us and if we go crusing in there and attempting to tug them on board then we may make issues worse. So that is been the argument that they have away with."

The ex-Border power chief referred to as on Brussels to entertain a dialog about joint border patrols between Britain and EU companions to cease unlawful migration extra successfully.