Channel patrol deal with France in jeopardy as Shabana Mahmood seeks tougher terms

A new Channel migrant deal with France has been delayed as Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood pushes for stricter terms.

The Home Office wants to introduce a payment-by-results model, linking funding to the number of crossings intercepted by French authorities.

Under the current agreement, Britain covers nearly two-thirds of the £160million annual cost of migrant patrols in northern France.

Ms Mahmood is understood to be demanding a deal where payments are only made once the French meet specific interception targets, The Times has reported.

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While France has agreed in principle to the payment-by-results approach, sources say it has resisted the scale of the Home Secretary’s demands.

Home Office officials are due to travel to Paris this week for talks.

The existing three-year agreement, signed by Rishi Sunak in 2023, is set to expire next Tuesday.

There are concerns crossings could surge if there is a gap between the two deals.

French authorities currently intercept around 37 per cent of attempted crossings - down from more than 50 per cent in 2023 when the deal, worth nearly £500million, was agreed.

It remains unclear what interception rate Ms Mahmood is seeking, although a former Home Office official said the French previously rejected a target of 80 per cent.

The Home Office declined to comment on specific terms but said it was seeking "flexibility and innovation" in any new agreement.

A spokesman said: "We do not comment on anonymous briefings.

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"We are building flexibility and innovation into any new deal with the French to ensure long-term value for money and a real impact on small boat crossings."

A spokesman for Sir Keir Starmer said both countries were aligned on stopping crossings, but the UK wanted to ensure any new deal delivered "long-term value for money".

The current arrangement has been criticised by some as ineffective, with nearly two-thirds of small boats still reaching British shores.

However, Ms Mahmood has argued that without French patrols, crossings would be even higher.

A Home Office source involved in negotiations said the Government was aiming to "do things differently" and secure the best possible deal.

"They're holding out for as much money as possible," the source added.

GB News revealed on Monday that nearly 1,000 migrants crossed the Channel in just six days, taking advantage of improved weather conditions.

Lucy Moreton, of the Immigration Services Union, said there was little incentive for France to stop crossings beyond financial support and safety concerns.

She said: "These are people who want to leave their country, so why would you stand in their way if they want to leave it?

"Their only interest is making certain that the migrants make it out of French waters alive."

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