Reform UK’s proposal to deploy the Royal Navy in the English Channel to intercept and return small-boat migrants to France or Belgium has drawn criticism from defence experts and political opponents, who argue the plan is impractical, legally problematic and risks diverting military resources from Britain’s national security priorities.
The proposal, unveiled as part of Reform UK’s immigration strategy, would see Royal Navy vessels intercept small boats carrying migrants attempting to cross the English Channel from France and Belgium before escorting them back to the European mainland.
According to Reform UK, the initiative, branded “Operation Fortress”, would classify those aboard as people in distress at sea, allowing British forces to conduct humanitarian rescue missions while preventing irregular arrivals on UK shores.
However, the announcement has immediately sparked a fierce political and legal concerns over whether Britain could return migrants without the consent of France or Belgium, while raising broader questions about the appropriate role of the armed forces in tackling illegal migration.
Retired Royal Navy Commander Tom Sharpe, who served for decades in Britain’s naval service, dismissed the proposal as lacking operational substance, arguing that the Royal Navy’s frontline warships are designed to defend the country against military threats rather than perform routine border enforcement duties.
“A billion-pound warship that’s configured for anti-air warfare or anti-submarine warfare, which are both threats to the UK, is not best used ferrying people around. You’re better off using an actual ferry.”
Tom Sharpe
He added that the proposal “lacks quite a lot of substance” because the Royal Navy has limited vessels available, many of which are already committed to operational deployments and defence responsibilities around the world.
Sharpe also noted that the proposal bears strong similarities to policies pursued by previous Conservative governments, when Royal Navy assets were temporarily involved in responding to Channel crossings.
During that period, however, the number of migrants attempting the crossing continued to increase, while private contractors were eventually contracted to undertake much of the rescue work.
This comes as immigration continues to be one of Britain’s most controversial political concerns. Since Prime Minister Andy Burnham assumed office, more than 2,000 migrants have arrived in the United Kingdom on small boats, including 326 who crossed the Channel on Saturday alone.
Despite the increasing landings, Home Office records show that crossings this year are around 43% lower than the same period in 2025, suggesting greater enforcement operations against organised smuggling networks.
Moreover, Andy Burnham has committed to be “relentless” in combating illegal migration, but also stressing that Britain retain safe and lawful avenues for people with legitimate asylum requests.
His administration has attempted to shift focus away from deterrence measures and toward the dismantling of illegal trafficking organisations.
According to the Home Office, the number of National Crime Agency officers investigating organised people-smuggling groups has more than doubled since the beginning of 2025, rising from 376 officers to almost 800. They argue that the expanded enforcement operation has already begun reducing crossings and disrupting criminal networks operating on both sides of the English Channel.
Labour Party has also accused Reform UK of recycling previously unsuccessful proposals while attempting to shift public attention away from controversies surrounding party leader Nigel Farage.
A Labour spokesperson noted that Reform had “reheated an old announcement in their latest desperate bid to distract from their growing sleaze scandals.”
“Anger and easy answers won’t bring crossings down. The serious action we’ve taken have started to have a real impact and has led to 46,000 attempted crossings stopped, and 70,000 people with no right to be here removed.”
Labour spokesperson
The spokesperson also accused Farage of attempting to divert scrutiny from allegations surrounding a reported £5 million gift from a cryptocurrency billionaire, calling on him to explain the matter publicly.
Legal Questions and Diplomatic Risks Overshadow Reform’s Immigration Proposal
Defending Reform UK’s policy, the party’s home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf insisted that international maritime law would allow the Royal Navy to intercept migrant boats by treating those aboard as people in distress requiring humanitarian assistance.
According to Zia Yusuf the operation would comply with obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights because Article 2 protects the right to life. He argued that once rescued, migrants should be returned to France as a safe country capable of processing asylum claims.
“If the French disagree, what will end up happening is we’ll end up having something of an argument with the French.”
Zia Yusuf
He further argued that refusing to allow rescued migrants to disembark in France would amount to “a crime against humanity.”
However, international maritime conventions generally permit the rescue of people whose lives are at risk but do not allow one country to disembark rescued individuals in another state’s territory without that country’s consent.
The idea has been rejected as unfeasible by Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh, who warned that it would lead to protracted conflicts with France rather than significant decreases in illegal immigration.
Although she conceded that managing Channel crossings is still a significant task, she insisted that the Burnham administration is making quantifiable progress by going after criminal organisations that plan risky maritime travel.
During a visit to Dover, the Prime Minister declared that the government was “changing the whole approach” to addressing irregular migration by stepping up enforcement efforts on both sides of the Channel and bolstering intelligence sharing.
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