Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Priti Patel and Navy at loggerheads over plans to end Channel crossings

In May, 2,871 migrants were apprehended crossing the Channel by small boat compared with 1,627 in May 2021.

Priti Patel and Navy at loggerheads over plans to end Channel crossings

IN a major development, the Royal Navy has threatened to ‘walk away’ from Boris Johnson and Priti Patel’s plan to end Channel crossings, according to a report.

The Guardian reported that defence chiefs are unhappy over the rapidly imploding plan of using the military to control small boats in the Channel.


Data shows crossings have close to doubled since the military was given “primacy” over the issue from mid-April.

The report added that both Patel and Johnson were warned that deploying the Royal Navy would be likely to increase the number of crossings. However, they ignored expert advice.

Senior Home Office sources have admitted the UK could receive up to 60,000 people by small boat this year – double last year’s record – with another 20,000 arriving by different routes. 

Patel will face the home affairs select committee this week on Channel crossings. Though the government has spent significant sums trying to remove asylum seekers to east Africa, but has yet to deport a single person.

Defence chiefs hope Johnson’s resignation is an opportunity to scrap the Channel initiative as it also ties up resources at a time of escalating international security threats.

Tobias Ellwood, Conservative chair of the influential defence committee, has said that the MoD really wants to walk away from the plan with the resignation of Johnson. According to him, the plan is a complete waste of naval time, as it is already overstretched.

John Spellar, the Labour vice-chair of the defence committee and a former defence minister, said the scheme had effectively reduced the navy to a 'taxi service'.

The armed forces minister James Heappey will be questioned by the committee over the operation’s predicted and actual lack of operational effectiveness.

It is reported that when the Home Office and MoD were asked about the legal basis for the military’s involvement in the Channel under Operation Isotrope, neither would answer.

It is also understood that the national security council, the main forum for collective discussion of the government’s objectives for national security, was not consulted before Isotrope was announced.

In May, 2,871 migrants were apprehended crossing the Channel by small boat compared with 1,627 in May 2021, a 75 per cent increase. Similarly, during the first three months of 2022, 4,540 people were detected arriving by small boats compared with 7,432 during the last half of April, May and June after the MoD took over.

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said the use of the navy had been proved to be futile.

Meanwhile, a Home Office spokesperson said that the government is united in tackling illegal migration and saving lives, to suggest otherwise is misleading and incorrect.

More For You

Andrew Tate Sued by Ex-Girlfriend Brianna Stern Over Sexual Assault Allegations

Tate’s attorney, Joseph McBride, has dismissed the lawsuit

Getty

Andrew Tate faces sexual assault lawsuit from ex-girlfriend Brianna Stern

Social media personality Andrew Tate is facing a new lawsuit from his ex-girlfriend, Brianna Stern, who has accused him of sexual assault, battery, and gender violence. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, details allegations of abuse and an incident that allegedly took place at The Beverly Hills Hotel on 11 March 2025.

Allegations in the lawsuit

According to the legal complaint, Stern claims that Tate initially appeared as a "dream come true" but later became emotionally and physically abusive. The lawsuit describes a violent encounter at the hotel, where she alleges Tate physically assaulted and threatened her.

Keep ReadingShow less
Voices of Faith 2025: A journey through spirituality and wisdom

Soumik Datta (R) and Gurdain Singh Rayatt

Voices of Faith 2025: A journey through spirituality and wisdom

Mahesh Liloriya

The inaugural edition of Voices of Faith commenced on Friday at the iconic Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, marking the beginning of an extraordinary three-day festival exploring theological philosophies, interfaith dialogues, and the deeper essence of spirituality through conversations, music, and healing vibes.

Organised by Teamwork Arts, the creators of the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) and JLF London, Voices of Faith is presented by the Kamini and Vindi Banga Family Trust, with the support of Tech Mahindra. Eastern Eye and Garavi Gujarat serve as the official media partners of this landmark event. This unique festival seeks to offer insights into navigating the complexities of modern life through the timeless wisdom enshrined in global religious traditions. It focuses on the universal ideals of compassion and interconnectedness that underpin the world’s faiths, fostering dialogue that transcends barriers and deepens mutual understanding.

Keep ReadingShow less
Court reopens Asian child sex offender's deportation case

Home Office successfully challenged a ruling that allowed him to remain in Britain (Photo for representation: iStock)

Court reopens Asian child sex offender's deportation case

A PAKISTANI man convicted of sexually assaulting a child under 13 will face a fresh deportation hearing after the Home Office successfully challenged a ruling that allowed him to remain in Britain, reported The Times.

The offender, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had initially won his case to stay in the UK after claiming he would face "inhuman or degrading treatment" if sent back to Pakistan due to his alcoholism.

Keep ReadingShow less
India launches Operation Brahma to aid quake-hit Myanmar

Rescue teams work to save residents trapped under the rubble of the destroyed Sky Villa Condominium development in Mandalay on March 29, 2025. (Photo by SAI AUNG MAIN/AFP via Getty Images)

India launches Operation Brahma to aid quake-hit Myanmar

INDIA has swiftly responded to the devastating earthquake in Myanmar by launching Operation Brahma, sending emergency relief and rescue teams to the disaster-stricken nation.

A C-130J military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force landed in Yangon on Saturday (29), carrying 15 tonnes of relief supplies including hygiene kits, blankets and food parcels. The aid mission comes after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday (28), killing more than 1,000 people and injuring nearly 2,400 others.

Keep ReadingShow less
Britain’s happiness crisis: UK hits record low in global wellbeing rankings

Pakistan stands at 109th place out of 147 countries

Britain’s happiness crisis: UK hits record low in global wellbeing rankings

THE UK has experienced a significant blow to its national morale, plummeting to 23rd place in the World Happiness Report for 2025 – its lowest ranking ever – despite being the world’s sixth richest nation.

Released to mark the UN’s International Day of Happiness last Thursday (20), the report provided a nuanced exploration of national contentment that extends far beyond economic measurements.

Keep ReadingShow less