Home secretary Sajid Javid has spoken out on the English Channel migrant crisis, saying it’s vital to strike a balance between protecting them and protecting our borders.
It comes after Mr Javid cut short his family holiday to deal with the major incident of rising numbers of migrants attempting to cross the Channel by boat.
In a statement, Mr Javid said on Saturday: The situation in the Channel is of grave concern, with people gambling their lives in reckless attempts to reach the UK in unsafe boats and treacherous conditions.
It is vital we strike a balance between protecting them and protecting our borders, ensuring we do not encourage more people to make this dangerous journey.
We have been working closely with our domestic partners and the French for some time to address this issue.
Two boats carrying 12 men from Syria and Iran were brought to shore on Friday, just days after 40 migrants attempted the crossing on Christmas Day.