UK to pay France another £660m to curb Channel crossings

Three-year deal includes funding for a riot squad to ‘disperse’ people trying to board small boats The UK government has agreed to pay France another £660m to curb the number of asylum seekers travelling across the Channel, including plans to fund a riot squad to “contain and disperse” people trying to board small boats. Under a three-year deal to be signed on Thursday by the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, 1,100 enforcement, intelligence and military officers – an increase of 40% – will be employed to track down smuggling gangs and people seeking refuge. A 50-strong riot squad will be trained in “crowd control tactics” and will “stop illegal migrants in their tracks”, according to the Home Office. UK cash is expected to fund batons, shields and teargas to deal with “hostile crowds and violent tactics”. The announcement follows protracted negotiations between the two countries over how to halt unauthorised small boat journeys, and who should pick up most of the cost. The previous £478m, three-year deal collapsed on 31 March. Organisations representing asylum seekers said plans to fund policing tactics such as riot control would mean the further brutalisat