France will start intercepting small boats in Channel following British demands

France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.

The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.

French authorities have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.

"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."

Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.

Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.

This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left office.

This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.

Now French authorities will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.

Strong winds are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.

The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.

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