London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

EU don’t care! Brussels ‘turning blind eye’ on migrant deaths over politics with Britain

EU don’t care! Brussels ‘turning blind eye’ on migrant deaths over politics with Britain

THE EU has been accused of "turning a blind eye" to migrants dying in the English Channel so it can play politics with Brexit Britain.

UK Government sources claim that the EU Commission is deliberately hampering progress on a potential deal with France which would see migrants landing on British shores sent back to continental Europe. Eurocrats are reportedly insisting that the right to negotiate asylum and readmission rests entirely with the bloc, and not individual member states.

This has effectively made an agreement signed between the UK and France last month which “addressed readmission” void.

So far this year more than 10,000 migrants have crossed the channel - giving UK authorities and politicians a major headache.

Boris Johnson’s Government has repeatedly tried to find an amicable solution to the issue with its French counterpart.

Many Tory MPs believe that repatriating migrants who arrive on British shores is the best way of deterring more from making the perilous journey.

There were hopes this would materialise after Home Secretary Priti Patel and her French counterpart Gérald Darmanin signed an agreement last month which stated that both countries "support the idea of a UK-EU readmission agreement to mutual advantage in terms of deterring illegal migration and tackling the criminal gangs".

More than 10,000 migrants have crossed the Channel this year alone


The Nationality and Borders Bill also gives the Border Force powers to send migrants who have crossed the Channel back to France.

But France has so far refused to agree to take back any.

Sources claim that senior French figures are "nervous" about the EU's stance.

Brexit talisman Nigel Farage has called for more action to the done on the issue


A Commission spokesman told The Sunday Telegraph that the post-Brexit trade agreement with the UK "does not include provisions on asylum and return".

They added: "For the moment, our focus is on its implementation and we are not considering pursuing further negotiations to complement the agreement".

A Tory source accused the Commission of "turning a blind eye to people dying", while a UK Government source suggested the issue had become embroiled in "post-Brexit shenanigans".

The news emerged just days after a record 475 migrants crossed the Channel.

Migrant boats seized by authorities


The previous highest totals was 416 people on 2 September last year, and 430 migrants on 19 July.

Bella Sankey, director of charity Detention Action, said: "Overall asylum applications are dropping and much lower than they were in the 2000s, but the high number of Channel crossings shows that desperate people trying to save their lives will risk everything to reach safety.

"MPs need to act swiftly and should pass legislation to allow those with strong prospects of receiving protection here safe passage to the UK from northern France to seek asylum here."

Migrants crossing the Channel recently


A spokeswoman for the EU Commission told Express.co.uk: "The Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the UK has provisionally entered into force while it provides a comprehensive framework for the relationship with the UK, it does not include provisions on asylum and return.

"For the moment, our focus is on its implementation and we are not considering pursuing further negotiations to complement the Agreement."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×