Reform UK proposes navy operation to return migrant boats to France

The hard‑right Reform UK party announced on Monday that it intends to launch “the largest military operation in the Channel since World War II,” a plan that would see Britain’s Royal Navy deployed to intercept and return small migrant boats to France. The proposal, outlined by party leader Nigel Farage, calls for a coordinated naval presence aimed at deterring irregular crossings and handing vessels back to French authorities, a move the party says will address what it describes as a “growing crisis” in the English Channel.

Political opponents and security experts quickly dismissed the scheme as impractical and potentially illegal, noting that the United Kingdom has no legal framework for using the Royal Navy in this capacity and that the operation could breach international maritime and asylum conventions. The announcement arrives amid a series of scandals involving Reform UK and Farage, further intensifying scrutiny of the party’s policy agenda. As debate continues, officials from the Ministry of Defence have not confirmed any plans to implement the suggested naval deployment.