Armed forces minister James Heappey has denied the Royal Navy has been reduced to the role of “tour guide” to escort illegal immigrants in the Channel to the English coast.
He told the Defence Select Committee on Tuesday he believed the Royal Navy had “gained control” of the English Channel and said only one boat had managed to land illegal immigrants in Kent since Operation Isotrope began in March.
Almost 13,000 people have crossed the Channel from France in small boats since the beginning of January, with the monthly total for June at 3,136, the highest of the year.
But almost all of the dinghies and rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) were intercepted by the navy, by the RNLI or other British law enforcement vessels, which then took the illegal immigrants ashore and handed them over to the immigration authorities….