UK's Migrant Crossing Deal with France

The UK government has signed a new deal with France to reduce the number of asylum seekers and refugees crossing the Channel in small boats.

More than 40,000 would be migrants have arrived in Britain so far this year, including 1,800 this weekend alone.

The deal will see the UK’s annual payment to France rise from £55million to £63milion, helping the French authorities to increase the number of officers patrolling the coast 300 – a rise of around 40%.

British officers will also be stationed in French border control rooms and share live intelligence.

Will it work? And should the UK be doing more to help desperate people fleeing war and persecution?

Adrian Goldberg hears from Kolbassia Haoussou who has lived experience of being trafficked into the UK after being tortured for political activism in his home country of Chad. Kollbassia founded Survivors Speak Out and is part of the Freedom From Torture campaign group.

We also hear from Steve Valdez Symonds from Amnesty International.

Produced in Birmingham by Adrian Goldberg.

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