France is backing away from a recent commitment to intervene more forcefully at sea to stop small boats from crossing the English Channel, according to multiple sources contacted by the BBC.
There is evidence that France's current political turmoil is partly to blame, but it will come as a blow to the UK government's attempts to tackle the issue.
In the meantime, dangerously overcrowded inflatable boats continue to leave the coast on an almost daily basis, from a shallow tidal canal near the port of Dunkirk.
While the man in charge of border security in the UK, Martin Hewitt, has expressed frustration at French delays, the BBC has heard from several sources in France that promises of a new maritime doctrine—which would see patrol boats attempt to intercept inflatable boats and pull them back to shore—are hollow.
It's just a political stunt. It's much blah-blah, said one figure closely linked to French maritime security.
The maritime prefecture for the Channel told the BBC that the new doctrine on taxi-boats was still being studied.
Former Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau was recognized for driving a more aggressive strategy in the Channel, which included plans to intercept the so-called taxi boats now used by smugglers. However, following a government reshuffle that removed Retailleau, the French government's focus has shifted amid ongoing crises.
A retired chip shop owner near a canal in Gravelines noted a stark increase in boat departures, viewing it as madness and calling for action to stop the boats.
Despite existing concerns regarding the safety and legal implications of halting boats in the Channel, French unions have also indicated plans they had raised earlier this year have been put on hold.
The UK government continues to emphasize collaboration with France to address illegal migration, underlining the complexities involved amidst political changes and ground realities.
