Keir Starmer has sensationally admitted “we have no effective deterrent in the Channel” as he urged Emmanuel Macron to order interceptions at sea. Paris has finally drawn up a plan to block dinghies in shallow waters, after months of fury over French inaction.

Security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they’ve picked up their passengers, the maritime police force said. The Prime Minister wrote to Mr Macron to break the deadlock, insisting “it is essential we deploy these tactics this month”.

Chris Philp MP, Shadow Home Secretary, said: “Keir Starmer is now openly admitting there is no deterrent in the Channel because he scrapped the only one we had.

“Labour cancelled Rwanda days before flights were due to take off. Starmer is confessing that his ‘smash the gangs’ slogan and his one-in-one-out gimmick don’t deter anyone. That’s why illegal crossings have surged since the election.”

“This is what happens when a government won’t take tough decisions. Rather than removing people, Labour are expanding safe-and-legal routes and handing out temporary status that will quietly become permanent.

“The Conservative Party is the only party with a plan that actually end this madness. Through our BORDERS plan, we will leave the ECHR and ECAT, ban asylum claims for illegal entrants, establish a Removals Force, and remove every illegal immigrant within a week. That is the only credible path to ending the chaos in the Channel.”

Strong winds are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid interception.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told the French President: “It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month.

“We have no effective deterrent in the Channel.”

Whitehall sources have told the Daily Express they are waiting to see if France will follow through on its promises, following months of frustration.

French police sparked fury earlier this year after revealing officers don’t “really want to go into the water” to migrants trying to reach the UK.

Union barons complained about a lack of training and equipment, adding they were yet to receive any new orders.

One admitted police do not “really want to go into the water to stop people”.

In June, the French cabinet agreed to allow officers to intercept migrant boats within 300 metres of the coast.

The tactic is considered crucial to preventing people smugglers launching so-called “taxi-boats”, where migrants wade out into the water and wait for a dinghy.

This leads to chaotic scenes as asylum seekers try to haul themselves onto already dangerously overcrowded boats.

Home Office insiders had hoped French police would start intercepting migrant dinghies this summer.

They initially anticipated changes in May. But the French cabinet did not agree on key tactical details until June.

The move comes as 39,292 people have made the journey across the English Channel so far this year.

The arrivals have already passed the number for the whole of 2024 (36,816) and 2023 (29,437) but the number is below the total for 2022 (45,774).

Left-wing charities have vowed to try and block French police from intercepting Channel migrant dinghies in the water.

They could even launch legal action.

Care4Calais CEO, Steve Smith, said: “This is a dangerous moment, that will cost more lives.

“Intercepting boats whilst they are in the water has never been done before because, quite frankly, it puts people at risk.

“When the last Tory Government tried to carry out pushbacks in the Channel, Care4Calais launched a legal challenge – and won. Any attempt to do something similar on the French side of the Channel must face the same level of opposition.”

On whether this new approach will reduce crossings, Steve added; “When will our political leaders learn that “enforcement” and so-called “deterrents” do not reduce crossings?

“All these new enforcement tactics will do is risk more lives as French Police hostility, such as intercepting boats in the water, forces people to take ever dangerous measures in order to seek sanctuary in the UK.”