France to begin stopping small boats in Channel after UK pressure

France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to back the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.

French police have infrequently acted to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.

"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."

Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.

Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the boats.

The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.

That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.

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

Strong winds are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

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