The outgoing head of the UK Border Force has triggered a political row by describing ‘bloody borders’ as ‘just such a pain in the bloody a***’.
Paul Lincoln’s incendiary remarks – made in a speech to mark his departure as director general of the Border Force – comes amid growing anger among Boris Johnson’s backbenchers over the migrant crisis.
Last week, the number of asylum seekers crossing the English Channel in small boats hit a new daily record of 1,185. More than 23,500 have made the crossing from France so far this year, a sharp rise on the 8,404 in 2020.
Mr Lincoln, who left his position last month as part of a shake-up by Home Secretary Priti Patel, ended his speech by quoting lines from rock star Shane MacGowan, of The Pogues, saying: ‘People are talking about immigration, emigration and the rest of the bloody thing. It’s all bloody crap.’
The speech by Paul Lincoln, pictured during a media briefing in Downing Street in May this year, concluded: ‘We’re all human beings, we’re all mammals, we’re all rocks, plants, rivers. Bloody borders are just such a pain in the bloody a***.’
The speech, which has been obtained by The Mail on Sunday, concluded: ‘We’re all human beings, we’re all mammals, we’re all rocks, plants, rivers. Bloody borders are just such a pain in the bloody a***.’
Last night, the Home Office declined to comment. A source confirmed that Mr Lincoln had made the remarks but declined to explain the context, saying only: ‘It was a small part of a much wider speech to friends and colleagues.’
However, a senior Government source said: ‘We have held more meetings about the small boats than any issue other than Covid, but it just seems as if we are always banging our head against the wall. Perhaps this explains why’.
Mr Lincoln left his £135,000-a-year post last month amid mounting criticism of the Border Force’s handling of the Channel migrant crisis and the long queues endured by travellers at Heathrow.
He was one of four senior civil servants heading immigration enforcement to leave under changes Home Secretary Priti Patel made in response to growing frustration within the Government at the failure to stem the flow of migrants.
A spokesman said at the time Mr Lincoln had made the decision to depart, and described him as a ‘hugely respected leader’ who had notched up ‘major achievements’.
There are fears within Whitehall that the situation will deteriorate further when migrants currently crossing from Belarus into the EU reach the Channel.
The crisis has stoked growing
