French police have been pictured standing by and doing nothing as a group of up to 40 migrants launched dinghies into the Channel this morning in a fresh attempt to reach Britain.
The migrants, including at least five children, were spotted going into the water from a beach near Wimereux, just a few miles north of Boulogne-sur-Mer, in the early hours of the morning.
Yards away was a French police car with at least two cops inside who appeared to do nothing, despite Emmanuel Macron's government yesterday vowing that forces would be in action 'night and day' to stop the crossings.
The vow came after the French government was challenged to explain how exactly £9million handed over by Britain this summer as part of a £54million package had been spent - even as crossings soared to record levels.
Speaking to MailOnline today, a senior Tory aide accused the French of 'playing to the gallery' by allowing the crossings to go ahead while warning that 'serious action' is unlikely before April, when elections will take place.
A group of 40 migrants ran with an inflatable dinghy across a beach near Wimereux, northern France, while police stood ny and did nothing
The migrants, including at least five children, were spotted going into the water from a beach just a few miles north of Boulogne-sur-Mer, in the early hours of the morning
Yards away was a French police car with at least two cops inside who appeared to do nothing, despite Emmanuel Macron's government yesterday vowing that forces would be in action
More than 4,000 migrants have made the journey in November so-far, the most ever in a single month, and the surge shows no sign of slowing down
The vow came after the French government was challenged to explain how exactly £9million handed over by Britain this summer as part of a £54million package had been spent, as crossings soared
It comes against the backdrop of worsening relations between the UK and France over post-Brexit fishing licences in the Channel, and the AUKUS submarine pact with saw Australia tear up a billion-dollar French contract in favour of signing a new deal with Britain and America.
Amid the worsening relations, almost 25,000 migrants have crossed the Channel this year - far eclipsing the roughly 8,000 who came in 2020 and 1,000 who arrived in 2019.
More than 4,000 have made the journey in November so-far, the most ever in a single month, and the surge shows no sign of slowing down.
French officials revealed details for the first time of how they have spent £9million from the British taxpayer, agreed as part of a £54million deal in the summer.
A spokesman for the interior ministry said: 'More than 100 mobile vehicles are being delivered on the ground for patrols and arrests, with equipment adapted to the
