Martin Hewitt tells MPs ‘political instability’ is factor in failure to roll out more interventionist tactics
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The UK’s border chief has expressed frustration that the French authorities have not been able to roll out tactics to puncture and disable boats carrying asylum seekers in shallow waters.
Martin Hewitt, the border security commander at the Home Office, told MPs that rapid changes in government in France had been a “political backdrop” to introducing a tactic seen as crucial to countering “taxi boats” being used to smuggle people to the UK.
Appearing before the Commons’ home affairs select committee, Hewitt said it was “frustrating” that the French authorities had not been able to roll out more interventionist tactics against boats, which pick up people in shallow waters off French beaches.
