Édouard Philippe says UK migration policy drives Channel crossings, threatens Touquet treaty

Right · 2Édouard Philippe, a candidate in France's next presidential election and a former prime minister under Emmanuel Macron, blamed British migration policy for the small boats crisis in the Channel. 1 2 Right · 2Speaking after a visit to Zuydcoote, near Dunkirk, where Philippe met police officers and mayors, Philippe called it "incoherent" for French authorities to be expected to stop migrants while Britain keeps policies that encourage the crossing. The remarks were first reported by The Times, according to both outlets. 2 1 Right · 2Philippe said that if elected, France would "significantly review our relationship with Britain". Philippe called the current agreement "unsatisfactory" and said France must "renegotiate the Touquet treaty and, if we do not get what we want, terminate it". 1 2

Right · 2The Touquet treaty lets British and French police carry out border checks in each other's territory, and British officers can operate in Calais and other coastal towns. The outlets report that Philippe would pull out unless Britain tightens its rules and pays the full cost of French policing. 2 1 Right · 1Philippe said it was "unacceptable" that UK funding was insufficient relative to French expenses and that the UK "maintains rules on its territory that invite migrants to cross the Channel". 2 Right · 2Philippe called it "absurd" that Britain grants asylum or residency to almost two-thirds of small-boat migrants, and said people told to leave can in practice stay and work illegally. Philippe described this as an "extremely shocking situation" that "imposes a burden on France", and urged the EU to take a similar stance because the problem was spreading to Belgium and the Netherlands. 1 2

Right · 1The Daily Mail reports that Philippe also blamed Britain for the regular deaths of migrants in the Channel; GB News does not report this. 2 Right · 2In April, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood agreed a three-year deal under which the UK pays France £662million. Both outlets say this covers roughly half of France's policing operation to intercept migrants, with the French government funding the rest; GB News adds that it paid for equipment including drones and a specialist boat. 1 2 Right · 2The remarks come as more than 10,000 small-boat arrivals have been recorded since Andy Burnham replaced Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister on 20 July. The outlets give slightly different figures for last week's surge, GB News citing The People's Channel (1,610 over four days, 480 on Sunday) and the Daily Mail citing Home Office figures (1,670 from Thursday to Sunday, 477 on Sunday, a total of 10,136). 1 2

Right · 2A Home Office spokesman told GB News that crossings were down significantly, with the lowest summer arrivals since 2020, and that the government was boosting officers in France and removing "pull factors". Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told the Daily Mail that "Open-borders Burnham has done nothing to tackle illegal immigration" and called for leaving the ECHR and deporting all illegal immigrants. 1 2