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The United Kingdom is failing to coordinate with France in efforts to reduce the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats, according to a new report.

The document, published by the French Court of Accounts, states that France is “struggling to develop operational cooperation arrangements” with the UK and highlights the struggles of a joint intelligence unit established in 2020.

The unit aims to fight human smuggling and reduce how many people try to cross the Channel illegally.

However, the court “found that the British don’t provide usable information on the departures of small boats, and give very general, first-level information that has not been counter-checked”.

British information on migrants’ arrivals, circumstances and nationalities “appears to be very patchy,” the report added.

“The relationship between France and the UK is therefore unbalanced in terms of information and intelligence exchange,” it read.

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, from a Border Force vessel following a small boat incident in the Channel. Picture date: Monday October 23, 2023.
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A group of people thought to be migrants being brought in to Dover, Kent, in October

The Home Office has claimed the report “is based on out-of-date information and does not accurately reflect our current working relationship” with France.

In a statement insisting they “work closely with French partners,” they added: “In the last two years, we have taken more robust action alongside them to crack down on vile people-smuggling gangs and stop the boats.”

The government recently said small boat crossings have dropped, with 29,000 people arriving in 2023 compared with about 46,000 the year before.

However, leaked documents revealed the number could rise to 35,000 this year.

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The migrants who didn’t make it

This came as a separate Home Office claim about immigration was labelled “misleading” and “false”.

Rishi Sunak had claimed victory in clearing the backlog of asylum claims – despite 4,500 complex cases still requiring “additional checks or investigation”.

Labour’s shadow immigration minister accused the government of making a “false” claim.

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The policy is central to government plans to stop small boat crossings
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Rishi Sunak’s has pledged to ‘stop the boats’ in major speeches

Stephen Kinnock said: “The asylum backlog has rocketed to 165,000 under the Tories – eight times higher than when Labour left office – and no slicing or renaming the figures can disguise that fact.

“Meanwhile Rishi Sunak’s promise made a year ago to end asylum hotel use has been disastrously broken – with a 20% increase to 56,000, costing the British taxpayer more than £2bn a year.”

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Wes Streeting ‘crossed the line’ by opposing assisted dying in public, says Labour peer Harriet Harman

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Wes Streeting 'crossed the line' by opposing assisted dying in public, says Labour peer Harriet Harman

Wes Streeting “crossed the line” by opposing assisted dying in public and the argument shouldn’t “come down to resources”, a Labour peer has said.

Speaking on Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Baroness Harriet Harman criticised the health secretary for revealing how he is going to vote on the matter when it comes before parliament later this month.

MPs are being given a free vote, meaning they can side with their conscience and not party lines, so the government is supposed to be staying neutral.

But Mr Streeting has made clear he will vote against legalising assisted dying, citing concerns end-of-life care is not good enough for people to make an informed choice, and that some could feel pressured into the decision to save the NHS money.

He has also ordered a review into the potential costs of changing the law, warning it could come at the expense of other NHS services if implemented.

Baroness Harman said Mr Streeting has “crossed the line in two ways”.

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“He should not have said how he was going to vote, because that breaches neutrality and sends a signal,” she said.

“And secondly… he’s said the problem is that it will cost money to bring in an assisted dying measure, and therefore he will have to cut other services.

“But paradoxically, he also said it would be a slippery slope because people will be forced to bring about their own death in order to save the NHS money. Well, it can’t be doing both things.

“It can’t be both costing the NHS money and saving the NHS money.”

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Review into assisted dying costs

Baroness Harman said the argument “should not come down to resources” as it is a “huge moral issue” affecting “only a tiny number of people”.

She added that people should not mistake Mr Streeting for being “a kind of proxy for Keir Starmer”.

“The government is genuinely neutral and all of those backbenchers, they can vote whichever way they want,” she added.

Read more on this story:
‘Fix care before assisted dying legislation’
Why assisted dying is controversial – and where it’s already legal

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously expressed support for assisted dying, but it is not clear how he intends to vote on the issue or if he will make his decision public ahead of time.

The cabinet has varying views on the topic, with the likes of Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood siding with Mr Streeting in her opposition but Energy Secretary Ed Miliband being for it.

Britain's Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Miliband walks on Downing Street on the day of the budget announcement, in London, Britain October 30, 2024. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska
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Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband is said to support the bill. Pic: Reuters

Shabana Mahmood arrives 10 Downing Street.
Pic: Reuters
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Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has concerns. Pic: Reuters

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The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is being championed by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater, who wants to give people with six months left to live the choice to end their lives.

Under her proposals, two independent doctors must confirm a patient is eligible for assisted dying and a High Court judge must give their approval.

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Labour MP Kim Leadbeater discusses End of Life Bill

The bill will also include punishments of up to 14 years in prison for those who break the law, including coercing someone into ending their own life.

MPs will debate and vote on the legislation on 29 November, in what will be the first Commons vote on assisted dying since 2015, when the proposal was defeated.

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SEC crypto cases will be ‘dismissed or settled’ under Trump: Consensys CEO

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SEC crypto cases will be ‘dismissed or settled’ under Trump: Consensys CEO

The crypto industry is “going to save hundreds of millions of dollars” with Donald Trump as president, Consensys CEO Joe Lubin forecasts.

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‘Crypto Dad’ squashes rumors that he could replace Gensler as SEC Chair

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<div>'Crypto Dad' squashes rumors that he could replace Gensler as SEC Chair</div>

Former CFTC Acting Chair Chris Giancarlo said he’s “already cleaned up earlier Gary Gensler mess,” shooting down speculation he’d replace the SEC Chair.

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