UK to pay France extra £16m in stopgap deal to patrol Channel beaches
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<p>Two-month arrangement aimed at preventing small-boat crossings comes as existing deal expires</p><p>The UK will pay France an extra £16.2m to keep police patrolling Channel beaches and prevent a surge in small-boat crossings after negotiators failed to agree a permanent deal before a midnight deadline.</p><p>The stopgap arrangement, which will last for two months, comes after French negotiators refused to give in to UK demands for further interventions and patrol
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UK to pay France extra £16m in stopgap deal to patrol Channel beaches Two-month arrangement aimed at preventing small-boat crossings comes as existing deal expires The UK will pay France an extra £16.2m to keep police patrolling Channel beaches and prevent a surge in small-boat crossings after negotiators failed to agree a permanent deal before a midnight deadline. The stopgap arrangement, which will last for two months, comes after French negotiators refused to give in to UK demands for further interventions and patrols to stop asylum seekers from reaching the UK via the Channel. It is understood the French government also refused to guarantee that patrols would continue without extra funds. Signed off by the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood , the temporary deal comes after a deadlock over plans to revamp the three-year, £478m deal, due to lapse at midnight on Tuesday. Home Office negotiators had insisted on a “huge surge” of extra officers under a new agreement, as well as a guarantee of an increase in the number of small-boat interventions by French officials as they sought to disrupt gang activity. Paris is concerned that UK demands could put the lives of asylum seekers and French officers at greater risk. The development is the latest twist in the discussions between the two governments over how to halt unauthorised small-boat journeys – and who should pick up the majority of expenses. A Home Office spokesperson said: “The home secretary is driving a hard bargain with the French to deliver the best deal for the British people, prevent migrants boarding boats and to save lives. We want more bang for our buck. “We don’t want there to be a surge in migrant crossings while negotiations continue. We are looking for a significant surge in enforcement officers on French beaches.” At present, the UK pays nearly two-thirds of the annual cost of patrols in northern France. Mahmood is seeking to link the next three years of funding to an increase in small-boat interception...
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