Govt under pressure after ‘appalling and preventable’ deaths in the Channel

Published

2 years ago

August 13, 2023

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The deaths of six people after a migrant boat capsized in the English Channel has been described as an “appalling and preventable tragedy”.

Campaigners are urging the government to create more safe routes to the UK, with the Refugee Council warning “more people will die” unless urgent action is taken.

Meanwhile, MPs from across the political spectrum are calling for a clampdown on the criminal gangs profiting from these dangerous journeys.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said action to deter people smugglers is “desperately” necessary – a sentiment echoed by Conservative backbencher Sir Jake Berry.

“We must put a stop to the vile people smugglers who trade in human misery and whose actions result in the loss of life,” the former party chairman wrote in the Sunday Express.

Some 59 people were rescued by British and French coastguards on Saturday after an overloaded vessel got into difficulty near Sangatte.

Five French ships, two British ships and a helicopter were involved in the vast operation, which had begun at about 4am UK time.

How the rescue unfolded

4.20am on Saturday 12 August: A merchant ship reported seeing a migrant boat in difficulty off the coast of Calais. Over the next forty minutes, five other commercial vessels confirmed this, and several people were already overboard.

A 25-seater life raft was deployed, alongside RIB Hurricane. Dover’s coastguard was called into assist, alongside the RNLI.

5.50am: More British ships joined the rescue operation.

6am: 32 people were rescued – one was immediately evacuated by helicopter to hospital and later pronounced dead.

Two British ships rescued a further 23 people.

A helicopter picked up five unconscious people, who were later declared dead.

A member of the lifeboat crew told Sky News: “When we arrived, we could only see large amounts of water.

“It was the helicopter that guided us to find the bodies. And then we had to recover the bodies. One after another.”

Yesterday, Home Secretary Suella Braverman had described the incident as a “tragic loss of life” – and confirmed she had chaired a meeting with Border Force officials.

The number of people crossing the Channel in small boats has risen in recent days.

On Thursday, 755 migrants made the perilous journey, the highest daily number so far this year.

A total of 100,000 crossings have been made since 2018 – 16,000 of those since the start of 2023.

After news of the fatalities emerged, a government spokesperson had said: “This incident is sadly another reminder of the extreme dangers of crossing the Channel in small boats and how vital it is that we break the people smugglers’ business model and stop the boats.”

‘Government has blood on its hands’

A union boss warned the UK government has “blood on its hands” over the Channel tragedy and described its approach as a “moral disgrace”.

Head of bargaining at the Public and Commercial Services union, Paul O’Connor said: “There is a readily available policy to prevent this tragic loss of life.

“Unfortunately, our calls on the government to adopt it have fallen on stony ground. It’s clear they have no desire to prevent these dangerous crossings.

“Instead, they’re pouring taxpayers’ money down the drain on policies which are unlawful, unworkable and doomed to failure.”

Ministers “want to scapegoat refugees” in a bid to distract from “catastrophic failings” on people’s living standards,” Mr O’Connor said.

“They don’t care that people die as a result. They have blood on their hands.”

Conservative MP for Dover, Natalie Elphicke, said the tragedy underlines the need for joint patrols in the Channel.

“These overcrowded and unseaworthy death traps should obviously be stopped by the French authorities from leaving the French coast in the first place.

“The time has come for joint patrols on the French coast and a cross-Channel security zone before any more lives are lost.”

UK

Body found in search for missing jogger Jenny Hall

Published

15 hours ago

February 23, 2025

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Body found in search for missing jogger Jenny Hall

A body has been found in the search for 23-year-old runner Jenny Hall.

She was last seen leaving her home in Barracks Farm, County Durham, in her car just after 3pm on Tuesday.

Police said there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances after a body was found in a very remote area in Teesdale on Sunday morning, five days after she went missing.

“We’re sorry to report that officers searching for missing woman Jenny Hall, have sadly found a body,” Durham Constabulary said in a statement.

“Officers carried out an extensive search alongside specialist partners and have been working around-the-clock to locate Jenny after she went missing on February 18.

“The body was found in a very remote area in Teesdale just after 9.30am today.

“Formal identification has yet to take place. Jenny’s family have been notified and are currently being supported by specialist officers. They have asked for privacy at this devasting time.

“It is not believed there are any suspicious circumstances and a file will be prepared for the coroner.”

A major police search was launched after Ms Hall’s disappearance.

Her car, a red Ford Focus, was found on Wednesday parked on the B6278, near remote moorland between Eggleston and Stanhope.

Mountain rescue teams, specialist drones and sniffer dogs had been combing the Hamsterley Forest and the surrounding areas, where there are a number of running trails, this week.

Digital intelligence officers also carried out extensive inquiries into Ms Hall’s mobile phone, smart watch and running apps.

UK

Fresh amber warning for rain as Met Office issues alerts for much of UK

Published

15 hours ago

February 23, 2025

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Fresh amber warning for rain as Met Office issues alerts for much of UK

A fresh amber weather warning for heavy rain has been issued by the Met Office – with much of the UK already on alert for high winds and showers.

Northern Ireland, Scotland and the UK’s west coast and the Midlands have yellow warnings for wind on Sunday – meaning the possibility of transport delays and short-term power cuts.

There are also rain warnings in place for several parts of western UK.

The new amber warning has been issued for rain in south and central Wales and is in force from 3pm on Sunday to 6am on Monday.

An amber warning means danger to life from floodwater, homes and businesses are likely to be flooded, and there is a chance some communities will be cut off.

Winds across the west of the UK will increase throughout the morning with gusts up to 70mph in exposed areas, the Met Office said.

Zoe Hutin, a meteorologist at the forecaster, said Sunday is expected to be the “worst day” before conditions improve.

“The wind warning itself for the mainland UK ends at 6pm, but we can expect to continue to see quite blustery conditions even into the evening as the mainland rain itself pushes through.”

She added: “By the time people get up on Monday, we’ll still have some of the residual rain from that front in the far south-east of the country, and quite cloudy across England as well.

“But actually elsewhere, it could be a decent start.”

The Met Office’s yellow weather warnings for much of England and Scotland came into force at 6am and are expected to run until 6pm on Sunday.

A separate yellow warning for Northern Ireland came into force at 3am and runs until 3pm.

People who have noticed some slightly higher temperatures the last couple of days may be dismayed at the latest predictions.

“Through the week, those temperatures are trending back down,” Ms Hutin said.

“And so it will be getting cooler each day, but they will actually just be recovering to around average for the time of year. So it won’t be cold.

“It will just be returning back to where we would expect to be for this time of February.”

UK

Starmer says ‘US is right’ about UK and Europe needing to take more responsibility for defence

Published

15 hours ago

February 23, 2025

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Starmer says 'US is right' about UK and Europe needing to take more responsibility for defence

Sir Keir Starmer has said the United States “is right” about the UK and Europe needing to take more responsibility for defence and security.

The prime minister, speaking at the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow on Sunday, said he is clear Britain “will take a leading responsibility” in protecting the continent.

“Instability in Europe always washes up on our shores,” he said.

“And this is a generational moment. I’ve been saying for some time that we Europeans – including the United Kingdom – have to do more for our defence and security. The US is right about that.”

He added “we can’t cling to the comforts of the past” as it is “time to take responsibility for our security”.

Politics latest: Starmer’s stinging rebuke of Reform

Donald Trump sparked an emergency meeting of European leaders this week after he said European NATO members should spend more on defence, while the US should spend less.

Sir Keir has said he will set out a path for the UK to spend 2.5% of GDP on defence, up from the current 2.3%, but has not indicated when that will be.

It is believed he may announce the details when he visits Mr Trump in Washington DC on Thursday, bringing forward the announcement that was expected in the spring when a defence spending review is published.

The prime minister reiterated the UK will “play our role” if required in Ukraine following a peace agreement after he earlier this week said the UK would send troops to be part of a peacekeeping force.

However, his comments caused a row with Germany and Italy who said it was premature to commit to boots on the ground, although France agreed with the UK.

Sir Keir said: “As we enter a new phase in this conflict, we must now deepen our solidarity even further.”

He added: “There can be no discussion about Ukraine without Ukraine.

“And the people of Ukraine must have long-term security.”

This week has seen US officials meet their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia to discuss Ukraine – which has been met with indignation by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as none of his team were invited.

No Europeans were invited either, sparking concern the US is pandering to Vladimir Putin.

Sir Keir has promised Mr Zelenskyy he will make the case for safeguarding Ukraine’s sovereignty when he meets with Mr Trump, who has called the Ukrainian president a dictator.

Mr Trump also said Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron, who will visit the White House too this week, “haven’t done anything” to end the war.