France to begin stopping migrant vessels in Channel following UK pressure

French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the English Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.

This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the plan and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to authoritative statements.

French police have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.

"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."

Now, a French naval police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.

Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to disable the propellers of the vessels.

The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, following a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.

This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.

Now French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.

Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.

UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.

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