Vocal Voices

the French navy can successfully escort a dingy full of illegals across the channel how come we can't escort them back.?

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It is beyond a joke now. We will reach the point where most of our taxes will be used to house illegal immigrants in comfort. I heard one bright spark on television give an opinion that immigration does not concern the majority of people in this country.

Our own children and grandchildren struggle to get a foot on the housing ladder whilst our government try to get housing to put these "migrants" in.

The French navy is NOT escorting the boats "across" the Channel (the Strait of Dover) as its jurisdiction ends at 9 n,mi. (10,5 mi).from the French coast or the 'median line'. That line is also the limit to where we can send them back to.

Both navies have also a duty to protect other shipping in the Channel and will shadow vessels in transit ensuring safe passage for all, as was done over the weekend with the Russian warships.

It is true that the French (Belgian and Dutch) can stop the boats in their own territorial waters, and that is what everyone should be working towards. What the RN cannot do is intercept the boats in UK territorial or international waters and force them ashore on the French, Belgian or Dutch coasts. That would be against International Law and the Rule of the Sea.

However the British boats could deny them access to British waters. Forcing them to go back to France and the French would be bound to support them on that journey.

Naval blockades are legal and well precedented.