UK to spend nearly £500m to help French stop small boats

The UK will contribute almost £500m over three years to help France curb migrants crossings the Channel in small boats.

The funding was announced during a summit between UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The money will go towards setting up a new detention centre in France and boosting patrols on French beaches.

It represents a big increase on what the UK is currently paying.

France will contribute substantially more funding to the project, however there are not yet details about the overall sum.

French President Emmanuel Macron praised the joint efforts of UK and French teams working to reduce small boat crossings.

Speaking at a press conference with Mr Sunak, he said the team had prevented 30,000 small boat crossings and 500 arrests.

Mr Sunak said the money would help “put an end to this disgusting trade in human life”.

He added: “Working together, the UK and France will ensure that nobody can exploit our systems with impunity.”

Both men said the summit in Paris marked the beginning of a new beginning in Anglo-French relations.

Mr Macron said it was a “moment of reconnection” while Mr Sunak described the meeting as an “entente renewed”.