Boris Johnson yesterday wrote to French president Emmanuel Macron suggesting escalated measures to stop the deadly human traffic between Calais and Kent.
As voters in both France and Britain asked themselves how this terrible tragedy could have happened, the letter might be read as a nudge to the French, who have not merely been turning a blind eye to people smuggling, but essentially forcing migrants into the embrace of the passeurs by bulldozing shantytowns.
‘As I set out in a letter to you this summer, I have long been profoundly concerned that any morning, we could wake to the news of a serious tragedy involving widespread loss of life in the Channel, including of women and children. Such a catastrophe has now happened,’ the PM said.
Macron is pressuring Britain on Ireland, on fish and on migrants. And the Channel might soon be blockaded
Boris suggested joint maritime patrols, stepped up surveillance and better intelligence targeting the people smugglers.

Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate, free for a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first month free.
UNLOCK ACCESS Try a month freeAlready a subscriber? Log in