USELESS French cops were last night accused of ripping off UK taxpayers as it emerged Britain has been billed an estimated £8,000 for every migrant they actually stop.
in have halted fewer illegals this year but are still set to rake in £1billion from border agreements.
Andy Burnham at the Coastguard centre in Dover yesterday Credit: PA
Duncan Capps, border security commander, with the PM and a spy drone Credit: Reuters
Robert Bates, at the Centre for Migration Control, told The Sun: “The French are laughing at us. It is clear they have no real interest in ending the Channel crisis.”
Yesterday PM pledged to crack down on the crisis on a visit to .
, who has seen 2,000 migrants cross since he entered No 10 last month, vowed to bring back control of Britain’s borders but offered no specific plan.
Sun analysis of data reveals that since May 2024, 50,903 migrants have been prevented from .
Over the 27-month period, the UK has spent and allocated up to £411.5million on deals with .
It includes an estimated £73.5million for this April to July under the terms of a deal signed under ex-PM in April.
It means for every person stopped from reaching British shores, taxpayers have footed a bill of £8,084.
Our funding estimate includes parts of the £476million deal signed by Tory ex-PM Rishi Sunak in 2023, and a new £662million agreement finalised this year.
Some £161million is results- dependent, meaning France may not get the full sum if they continue to .
Mr Bates added: “The French police cannot be relied on, refusing to stop boats in shallow water and standing by as hundreds depart from the shore. Those migrants that are stopped from crossing simply try again at a later date.”
Further Sun research shows police in Northern France are performing worse in 2026 than in 2025.
Between this January and the end of July, 34.8 per cent of attempted crossings were successfully halted.
That is down from 39 per cent for the same months in 2025, although total crossings were significantly higher then.
On Saturday, The Sun watched people-smugglers launch boats from beaches as kids played nearby.
Our pictures show up to 100 migrants in life jackets walking to an inflatable dinghy in Neufchâtel-Hardelot.
It picked up around 80 would-be at 4pm, while around 20 who could not fit in the dinghy trudged back to town.
The PM with the UK coastguard and border security chiefs yesterday Credit: Reuters
Migrant liaises with police on a French beach Credit: Dan Charity
Some 326 arrived here on Saturday as police appeared to do nothing to halt the migrants’ journey.
France counts arrests, dinghy captures and finds of smugglers’ gear — such as boats and life vests — as “preventions”.
But many who are stopped try again days or weeks later.
Updated rules mean “taxi boats” can be intercepted at sea.
But French cop unions are instructing members to stick to guidelines and stand back as soon as dinghies are in the water.
Some weeks have seen a total surrender by beach patrols.
Between June 15 and 21, 1,912 arrived in the UK, while French officers stopped just 800.
During one week in late March, officers stopped only 39 people while 272 successfully launched.
Between July 19 and 26 — the week Mr Burnham became PM — 881 migrants arrived compared to 504 prevented.
Yesterday the PM insisted real progress was being made as he spoke to Interim Chief Coastguard John Craig and Duncan Capps, Border Security Commander.
Mr Burnham told reporters at the HQ near Dover: “Although this is the peak period for crossings, overall the number of crossings is down, the number of removals of people is up.
“So, there is progress, but we both recognise that we need to do more. The public don’t like the idea that the border looks like it’s not controlled. We need to bring back that control, but also we need to offer support for people who genuinely need it.
Families with children try to board a traffickers’ boat in the resort of Hardelot in Northern France Credit: Dan Charity
Migrant dinghy leaves Hardelot on Saturday in attempt to cross the Channel and reach the UK Credit: Dan Charity
“It’s about changing the whole approach. There’s more to be done.”
During the visit Mr Burnham was shown a small boat which 96 migrants had used in May, plus a surveillance drone used to detect boat activity.
Home Secretary said she was “laser-light focused” on the issue on a visit to the offices in Stratford, East London.
And she pointed out she has doubled the number of immigration crime officers from 376 to 791.
But Tory Shadow Home Secretary said if was serious about controlling borders, it would accept the .
Last Wednesday marked the busiest day for boat crossings this year, with 752 migrants arriving.
The provisional total for the year so far is 14,526. Two more boats arrived early yesterday.
Crossings are lower than the number recorded by this time last year, when 25,436 had made the journey, and down 14 per cent on the same period in 2024.
Home Office sources said they did not recognise the £411.5million figure.
They said only £342million has actually been paid so far under the terms of Britain’s Sandhurst arrangements with Paris.
Even at that rate, the cost would still be more than £6,700 per migrant.
A Home Office spokesman said: “This Government is bearing down on crossings, with removals of migrants at record levels, and asylum claims down by 12 per cent.
“The Home Secretary has signed a landmark payments-by-results deal with France to boost enforcement on beaches, strengthen intelligence-led disruption activity and put people-smugglers behind bars.
“The deal is delivering more officers, enhanced surveillance and tougher action against the criminal gangs behind these crossings. This has helped to seize more than 1,100 boats and engines that could have facilitated over 72,000 crossings, while preventing more than 46,000 attempted Channel crossings since the Election.”
Meanwhile, have committed to using the to sweep up boats and return them to France or , saying the plan is backed by retired officers and Marines.
The party’s home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf warned: “To those with no right to enter Britain, our border will be impenetrable.”
Migrants who crossed into Ceuta from Morocco queue for water provided by the Spanish military Credit: Reuters Spain’s in chaos but leader lists his hol hits
By
SPAIN’S PM Pedro Sanchez sparked outrage by sharing a summer playlist and jetting off on holiday as his nation battled a migrant crisis.
EU leaders will hold talks tomorrow after 60,000 migrants reached Ceuta, a Spanish territory on the North African coast.
At least 75 are believed to have died as a mob stormed border posts.
Yesterday I witnessed thousands seeking shelter, food and water.
Bodies of those who drowned swimming from Morocco to Ceuta were still being pulled out of the water.
Sanchez shared his Spotify soundtrack online — including Madonna’s I Feel So Free and tracks by Charli XCX and The Rolling Stones.
On Saturday he and his wife flew to Lanzarote for two weeks.
Carmen Fúnez, an MP for Spain’s conservative People’s Party, said: “While Ceuta suffers, Sanchez is on vacation. There is nothing crueller than denying reality.”
Spain has faced criticism across Europe for its lax border controls.
Left-winger Sanchez recently granted a migrant amnesty which saw a million apply for residency.
Spanish troops deported thousands from Ceuta but many remain.
Moroccan Anas Soltany, 20, told me: “I swam for six hours to reach the EU. I want to be free.”
Hamid Nafe, 21, added: “Morocco is hell. I want to go to Germany. I’ll do any work. I need to provide for family.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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