𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Andy Burnham and Emmanuel Macron will admit that beaches west of Calais need urgent reinforcements as smugglers shift to using mega-dinghies.

The Prime Minister and the French President will deploy a “surge team” of 45 officers to cover areas such as Le Touquet, Berck, Le Tréport and Dieppe.

Downing Street said this will triple the number of UK-funded officers in the area.

People smugglers shifted some of their launch sites West after French police intensified patrols around Calais and Dunkirk. Criminal gangs have forced migrants to spend as long as 18 hours on inflatable dinghies after launching from Dieppe, in Normandy, and making numerous pick-ups from different beaches.

The Daily Express is aware of one dinghy – carrying 173 people – that sank off the coast of Boulogne after launching from Dieppe. And a dinghy carrying a staggering 230 people smashed all records for the biggest boats detected in the Channel.

The Prime Minister will welcome the French president to No 10 on Thursday for their first bilateral meeting.

Ahead of the talks, Mr Burnham said the two countries must “stay one step ahead” of the criminals’ evolving tactics, as he vowed not to be “complacent” after a fall in small-boat arrivals.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “The progress we have seen this summer shows what can be achieved when the UK and France work together.

“But I am clear that we cannot be complacent. Smuggling gangs are constantly adapting their tactics, and the UK and France need to respond quickly and stay one step ahead of the criminals facilitating the dangerous crossings.

“The small boats crisis is a shared European challenge, and no country can solve it alone. Working with France and our international partners, we will restore order and control to our borders and prevent smugglers exploiting vulnerable migrants.”

Some 230 people were detected on a single boat last month.

And this followed an emergency the previous week, when 173 people were rescued from a vessel. And that smashed the previous record of 165.

Home Office sources have claimed smugglers started using the mega dinghies because it is harder for them to get boats and engines to northern France.

Some 16,391 migrants have crossed the Channel so far, down 43% on the same time last year and a 17% drop from the same point in 2024.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “We are boosting officer numbers to record highs to crack down on small boat launches and the gangs behind them.

“This work is bearing fruit. Over 48,000 crossing attempts have been prevented, small boat crossing numbers are down and removals of those here illegally are at record levels.

“But we are not complacent and we must be relentless. We will continue efforts on all fronts to tackle these illegal and dangerous crossings.”

But Labour was accused of trying to take credit for the “rough seas”.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “The Government is taking credit for the result of rough seas in the channel.

“Recent figures show that since the election, 95% of illegal immigrants crossing the channel have been allowed to stay, so no wonder they keep coming.

“Almost 20,000 illegal immigrants so far this year is still a disaster.

“I went to France recently and saw 10 armed French Gendarmes Nationale – who UK taxpayers fund – standing around doing nothing while 100 illegal immigrants embarked in knee-deep water. I spoke to a Gendarme who said that they had orders not to intervene.

“The £660 million we pay should be withheld until the French prevent all embarkations in shallow waters.

“We now have a mega dinghy crisis with 150 illegal immigrants per dinghy crossing every time the sea is calm.

“All we have from the Government are press releases and gimmicks. They haven’t smashed the gangs, and the ‘one in, one out’ deal has seen only 3% of arrivals returned. It’s a joke.”