France to begin stopping small boats in Channel after UK pressure

France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the UK.

The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the President urging him to back the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.

French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.

French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.

"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."

Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.

Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.

The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous government official left government.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.

Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.

Strong winds are currently postponing 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 previous instances.

The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for response.

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