France will start stopping small boats in English Channel after British demands

French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.

French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.

"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."

Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.

Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the vessels.

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

That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.

Currently French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.

Strong winds are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.

UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.

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