Reform UK has unveiled a plan, dubbed 'Operation Fortress,' to deploy the Royal Navy to prevent small boat crossings in the English Channel and tow them back to France.
Zia Yusuf, Reform's home affairs spokesman, is scheduled to announce the policy on Monday. The party claims that former senior military figures have endorsed the scheme as operationally feasible. Yusuf is expected to state that Britain is facing an "invasion" and criticize current government responses as offering "a free ferry service and free hotels."
Under the proposal, the Royal Navy would intercept unauthorized vessels and return them to France. Reform leader Nigel Farage intends to direct the Navy to ensure no unauthorized vessel reaches UK shores.
Yusuf indicated that the Navy would be permitted to use lethal force if intelligence agencies confirm the presence of terrorists or smuggling gang leaders on board the small boats. He stated that this approach would break the incentive structure for migrants, as the realization that illegal crossings result in interception and return to France would deter further attempts.
Reform asserts that the plan is consistent with international law, particularly the obligation to preserve life at sea. However, the plan is likely to face significant legal and political challenges. International maritime law permits states to rescue individuals from distressed vessels, but it does not allow for their transfer to another state without that state's agreement. France has previously indicated that towing boats back would violate international maritime law.
Reform's proposal suggests a reliance on French cooperation. The party stated it does not believe French President Emmanuel Macron would order the French navy to fire on boats escorted by the Royal Marines during a humanitarian mission.
Robert Jenrick, who previously served as immigration minister, abandoned similar plans to turn back dinghies in 2022, citing limited circumstances where such actions could be safely executed in the Channel.
Yusuf also plans to outline measures to establish the Channel as "the world's most surveilled maritime border," including the creation of an Integrated Surveillance Command to track boat launches using drones, coastguard assets, helicopters, and satellites.
A spokesperson for the Labour party criticized Reform's announcement as a rehash of old proposals aimed at distracting from political issues, highlighting their own efforts which they claim have stopped 46,000 attempted crossings and led to the removal of 70,000 individuals with no right to be in the UK.