UK says ready to push migrant and refugee boats back to France

Britain has approved plans to turn away boats illegally carrying migrants and refugees to its shores, deepening a diplomatic rift with France over how to deal with a surge of people risking their lives by trying to cross the English Channel in small dinghies.

Hundreds of small boats have attempted the journey from France to England so far this year, across one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Thursday that France would not accept Britain violating international maritime law or "financial blackmail" as London steps up efforts to prevent migrants crossing the Channel.

Britain's border officials will be trained to force boats away from its waters but would only deploy the new tactics when deemed safe to do so, according to a government official who asked not to be named.

Michael Ellis, Britain's acting attorney-general, will draw up a legal basis for border officials to deploy the new strategy, the official said.

The UK Home Office, or Interior Ministry, said, "We do not routinely comment on maritime operational activity."

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France warns Britain against 'blackmail' over migrants

"France will not accept any practice that breaks maritime law, nor any financial blackmail," Darmanin wrote on Twitter. 

"Britain's commitments must be respected. I said this clearly to my counterpart" Priti Patel during a meeting on Wednesday, he added.

Earlier, in a letter leaked to British media, Darmanin said forcing boats back towards the French coast would be dangerous.

Darmanin protested that "safeguarding human lives at sea takes priority over considerations of nationality, status and migratory policy", the reports said.

France and Britain agreed in July to deploy more police and invest in detection technology to stop Channel crossings. French police have confiscated more dinghies but they say they can only reduce the flow of departures.

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The statement from Darmanin reflects alarm in Paris about reported plans by the British government to begin turning back boats carrying migrants before they cross into UK waters in the English Channel.

Patel, who has carved out a reputation for being tough on immigration and crime, has approved the new hardline strategy, according to press reports on Thursday.

French officials have also been angered by suggestions that Britain could withhold some of $74.2 million (62.7 million euros) it promised earlier this year to fund policing and patrols in northern France unless more is done to prevent migrant crossings.

A French Interior Ministry source said there had "never been any question of making payment conditional on numerical targets".

"Such an approach would reflect a serious loss of confidence in our cooperation," the source said.

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