UK downplays tensions with France over Channel crossings crisis

LONDON: A Home Office minister on Saturday has downplayed the diplomatic row between France and the UK over the refugee crisis in the Channel, insisting it was time to “draw up new creative solutions”.The British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and the French President, Emmanuel Macron, clashed earlier this week over how to deal with people attempting to cross the Channel in small boats as they flee war, poverty and persecution.

Damian Hinds, whose brief covers security and borders, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “British and French officials have been working together throughout. In fact we’ve been working together for years, on these really important issues. The partnership is strong.”

France was angered by Johnson releasing a letter he sent to Macron in which he set out his proposals, including reiterating a call for joint UK-French patrols by border officials along French beaches to stop boats leaving – a proposal that Paris has long resisted.

Johnson also called for talks to begin on a bilateral returns agreement, saying it could have “an immediate and significant impact” on attempts to cross the Channel after the UK left a European Union returns agreement as a result of Brexit.

Hinds defended the prime minister’s letter to the French leader as “exceptionally supportive and collaborative”.

He said “nobody is proposing breaching sovereignty”, amid concerns over the request for UK officials to join patrols on French beaches.

“The (letter) absolutely acknowledges everything the French government and authorities have been doing, that it’s a shared challenge, but that now, particularly prompted by this awful tragedy, we have to go further, we have to deepen our partnership, we have to broaden what we do, we have to draw up new creative solutions,” he added.

However, Paris withdrew an invitation to the home secretary, Priti Patel, to attend a meeting of ministers from key European allies in Calais on Sunday.

Despite Patel being disinvited, the No 10 spokesperson said Home Office officials had travelled to France for talks on Friday with French counterparts as planned.