The far-right party Reform UK has unveiled a plan to deploy the British Royal Navy to combat small boats used by migrants crossing the English Channel, should it come to power. This announcement follows a new three-year agreement signed in April between the UK and France aimed at curbing irregular migration across the Channel, under which London will pay Paris up to 766 million euros for enhanced law enforcement measures.
If elected, the party stated it would conduct the ‘largest military operation’ in the English Channel ‘since World War II’ to stop migrant boats. The initiative was revealed shortly after a mass arrival of migrants to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco. Experts and political opponents quickly criticized the proposed plan, labeling it unrealistic.
Criticism of the plan and Reform UK’s proposals
The anti-immigration party led by Nigel Farage announced it will present detailed proposals for using the British fleet to return migrant boats to France. A similar idea was proposed by the Conservative government in 2020, but it was later abandoned. Military experts and representatives from other political parties have reiterated that implementing such a plan is practically impossible, citing insufficient military resources in the UK.
“Reform UK will respond by launching the largest military operation in the English Channel since World War II,” said the party’s spokesman on internal affairs, Ziya Yusuf, who visited Ceuta last weekend. Former Royal Navy commander Tom Sharp told AFP that the proposed plan “is actually not a solution to the problem.” He added that the idea of returning boats to France without the consent of the French authorities “makes no sense.”
Migration situation in the UK
Irregular migration remains a key political issue in the UK. As of July 31, 2026, 14,281 people had arrived in the country illegally by small boats, a decrease of more than 42% compared to the same period last year. However, on July 29, a record daily figure was recorded, with 752 people reaching the British coast in a single day.
Source: Euronews
