Keir Starmer’s France Small Boats Deal — and Lord Hermer’s troop ‘witch-hunt’

About this episode

The episode discusses Keir Starmer's deal with France regarding the small boats crisis and the implications for border security and illegal migration.

Keir Starmer says closer co-operation with France will help stop the small boats crisis — but is Britain paying hundreds of millions for more failure and inaction? Alex Phillips - stepping in for Julia - is joined by former Border Force chief Tony Smith to break down Labour’s latest Channel deal, including the extra cash for France, the promise of tougher beach enforcement, the role of French riot police, and why surveillance alone will not stop illegal crossings in the Channel. They also look at the key questions ministers still have not answered: what happens when migrants are intercepted, why detention capacity matters, whether Belgium is now becoming a new launch point, and how people-smuggling gangs are using social media and encrypted platforms to stay one step ahead. If you want serious insight into border security, illegal migration and the real-world limits of government policy, this is essential listening. Also: Andrew Allison from Popular Conservatism joins Alex to discuss the mounting pressure on Keir Starmer, the mood inside Labour, and the growing row around Attorney General Lord Hermer. They examine concerns over the power of unelected figures at the heart of…

People in this episode

Host: Julia Hartley-Brewer

Guests: Tony Smith, Andrew Allison

Topics covered

• Keir Starmer
• France
• small boats crisis
• Labour
• Channel deal
• border security
• illegal migration
• government policy
• national sovereignty
• immigration

Keywords

• Channel
• migrants
• detention capacity
• people-smuggling
• social media
• Chagos Islands

Mentioned in this episode

Places: France, Britain, Channel, Belgium, the Chagos Islands

More episodes of The Julia Hartley-Brewer Show

• Keir Starmer's Defence Secretary resigns over paltry defence investment - after second night of Belfast disorder · June 11, 2026 · 56 min
• Belfast on the Brink — Knife Attack, Riots and Britain at the limit? · June 10, 2026 · 40 min
• Belfast ‘Beheading’, Billions of Foreign Aid to Terrorists — and how DEI is rotting Britain away · June 9, 2026 · 41 min
• David Lammy disagrees with JD Vance over the Henry Nowak Fallout, Israel strikes Iran, and Labour's leadership uncertainty as Makerfield by-election looms · June 8, 2026 · 51 min
• Bleksley Blasts Bobbies Over Nowak Tragedy · June 5, 2026 · 51 min
• Henry Nowak's family call for 'common sense' equality: Kemi Badenoch reacts to her meeting with the family · June 4, 2026 · 52 min