FORTY-FIVE French cops have been branded “next to useless” as they will not have powers to enter the water to tackle small boat crossings.
A new “surge team” will patrol along the country’s coastline targeting criminal gangs launching mega-dinghies – carrying up to 230 migrants.
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The officers will need special permission from their commander to enter the water once the boats are launched, based on operational decisions at the time.
However, they are only expected to receive the green light if there is an immediate threat to life.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “It’s a joke these officers can’t even go into knee-deep water to stop illegal immigrants. This will mean they’re next to useless.
“More officers changes nothing if they are still banned from going into the water, because once a dinghy has launched they can only stand on the beach and watch it leave.
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“I saw this for myself in France recently with ten armed French Gendarmes Nationale – who UK taxpayers fund – standing around doing nothing while 100 illegal immigrants embarked in knee deep water.
“The £660 million we pay should be withheld until the French prevent all embarkations in shallow waters.”
The revelation comes as Andy Burnham met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Downing Street yesterday with the issue a focal point of talks.
The Sun warned the Prime Minister to avoid a stitch-up by the French in its front page yesterday as the Bayeux Tapestry was viewed by the two leaders on the visit.
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The new surge team will be made up of both gendarmes and reservists from the Police Nationale. There are more than 1,000 patrolling beaches in the region.
There are currently 125 officers who are allowed to step in and stop boats in the water.
Launches of the mega-dinghies are taking place more than 100 miles away from Calais as the authorities crack down on the perilous journeys on more western beaches in Normandy.
France says it’s now stopping 60 per cent of all the dinghies launched but interceptions of migrants stands at just 34 per cent.
A concern for officials on both sides of the Channel is the average number of people per dinghy now stands at 80 people.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has defended French cops amid criticism over officers failing to stop packed dinghies once they reach the water.
She said French officers have “much fewer options” at the water’s edge because of the risk to migrants’ lives.
Ms Mahmood said: “If you only look at activity that’s happening at the water’s edge, actually that’s the last point at which anything can be done because at that point you’ve got an operational risk of people being in the water, and then obviously French officials have to make a decision based on operational risk to life.
“If you just go a few 100 yards up from water’s edge, you will see a lot of disruption activity.
“There is a huge amount of work happening with French law enforcement that is literally stopping people from actually getting to water’s edge in the first place.”
Downing Street said that both Mr Burnham and his counterpart have agreed to “step up work across the full spectrum” of shared challenges.
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A spokesman said “operational teams were making headway on driving down numbers and reducing crossings”
They added: “It was now vital to ensure that success was scaled up across Europe to deter illegal migration, the leaders agreed.”