Posted on 08/08/2020 6:42:15 AM PDT by BenLurkin
On Saturday morning, the BBC filmed a rubber boat with up to 20 people on board, including a baby, departing from a tourist beach in the north of France.
BBC Europe reporter Gavin Lee said ...there was no sign of any surveillance from French authorities on the beach near the harbour of Gravelines.
And across the Channel in Dover, BBC reporter Simon Jones said the UK coastguard was dealing with a number of incidents of migrants coming ashore.
Our reporter said local people have been asking why more is not being done by the French to patrol the coastline, but French authorities have said they need more money from the UK government.
Questions have also been raised about why once people arrive in the UK they are not sent back to France.
Ministers said they will press French authorities to crack down on migrants attempting to cross the Channel.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has described the situation as "complex", saying in a tweet on Friday that the government faces "serious legislative, legal and operational barriers".
On Saturday the MoD said it would "do all it can" to support the government.
"We are assessing the requirement using the formal Military Aid to the Civilian Authorities process and are working hard to identify how we can most effectively assist," it said in a statement.
But an unnamed MoD source also told the PA news agency that the idea of using the Navy was "completely potty".
The source said such action would be "inappropriate and unnecessary" and that military resources should not be used to address "political failings".
Former Labour home secretary Jack Straw said any attempt to model Australia's controversial "push back" tactics - used against migrants travelling from Indonesia - would not work and could lead to boats capsizing.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
It would be more interesting if the Brits had more of an army than their handfull of outstanding special forces.
They should consider a better army rather than propping up royal family which is a stunning expense for the Brits.
The Royal Navy is the problem. They don’t want to do their job.
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