Minister admits to safety fears over ‘pushback’ of migrant boats

Immigration minister Rob Jenrick has admitted to safety concerns over the use “pushback” tactics against small boats in the England Channel, confirming plans had been withdrawn.

The highly-controversial Home Office plan to turn dinghies around and forcibly send asylum seekers back to France was pulled in April ahead of a judicial review.

Describing the policy as “currently withdrawn”, Mr Jenrick conceded that there were only “limited circumstances” in which pushbacks could be done safely.

“There are limited circumstances in which small boats can be turned around safely in the English Channel,” Mr Jenrick said.

The immigration minister added: “In view of this, the policy is currently withdrawn and there are no current plans for the turnaround tactics to be reintroduced under defence primacy.”

Former home secretary Priti Patel revealed a plan to force migrant boats back to France last year – claiming the tactic had a “legal basis” despite strong opposition from campaigners.

But it emerged earlier this year that the Home Office had to withdraw the policy amid a legal challenge against the policy.

Ms Patel was informed in April that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) did not have permission to deploy the pushback tactic, the government conceded in a legal document.

The Home Office then said similar tactics may be deployed in the future, though these would only be used after “full consideration of all relevant factors”.

Jeremy Bloom, the solicitor representing the PCS union and Care4Calais campaign group, said at the time: “We are convinced that the home secretary has withdrawn the policy because she knew that she would lose in court if she went to trial.”

Mr Jenrick’s new statement makes clear there is no plan to revive the policy – but he did say it remained an option for the government.

“The government considers all safe and legal options to stop unnecessary journeys to the UK including turning small boats around in the English Channel,” he said in an answer to Tory MP Rachel Maclean.

“This approach fully complies with both the domestic and international legal frameworks to which the UK is committed,” he added.

It comes as officials denied reports that home secretary Suella Braverman is considering a plan to speed up asylum deportations by reviving a “white list” of countries deemed to be safe.

Asylum claims of citizens from those countries would largely be regarded as unfounded unless they are able to provide contrasting evidence – with no right of appeal, according to The Times.

However, a source close to the home secretary said they did not recognise the report and a so-called “white list” policy was not in development.

More than 43,000 migrants have crossed the Channel to the UK so far this year, the latest figures show. The MoD said 884 people were detected in 17 boats on Tuesday – suggesting an average of around 52 per boat.

It comes as a man is due in court after at least 27 migrants drowned while trying to cross the Channel in a dinghy last year.

Harem Ahmed Abwbaker, who was arrested in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, on Tuesday, faces being extradited to France.

The 32-year-old is suspected of being a member of an organised crime gang behind the crossing in November 2021 and is accused of the “French equivalent of manslaughter” and facilitating illegal immigration, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.