Boris Johnson is planning to use Brexit to tear up the UKs international obligations to make it easier to send back migrants to France.

The Prime Minister condemned the Channel crossings as dangerous and criminal amid an escalating war of words between Britain and France over the issue.

Downing Street said the UKs departure from the EU would allow the country to cut loose from the Dublin Regulations which place time limits on returns and, it is claimed, are open to abuse by those without a right to remain.

Immigration minister Chris Philp will hold talks with his counterparts in Paris on Tuesday to discuss tougher measures to stop migrants attempting the crossing of the worlds busiest shipping waters. More than 600 migrants have arrived in the UK by this route since last Thursday.

A French politician pushed back against the suggestions from inside the British government that the Royal Navy could be despatched to patrol the Channel and support Border Force boats, saying it would further endanger lives and was merely a political measure.

Speaking at a primary school in east London, Mr Johnson said: Be in no doubt whats going on is the activity of cruel and criminal gangs who are risking the lives of these people taking them across the Channel, a pretty dangerous stretch of water in potentially unseaworthy vessels.

We want to stop that, working with the French, make sure that they understand that this isnt a good idea, this is a very bad and stupid and dangerous and criminal thing to do.

But then theres a second thing weve got to do and that is to look at the legal framework that we have that means that when people do get here, it is very, very difficult to then send them away again even though blatantly theyve come here illegally.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: We are currently bound by the Dublin Regulations for returns and they are inflexible and rigid for example, there is a time limit placed on returns, its something which can be abused by both migrants and their lawyers to frustrate the returns of those who have no right to be here.

At the end of this year we will no longer be bound by the EUs laws so can negotiate our own returns agreement.

The Government would continue to work with French authorities on tougher measures including French interceptions at sea and the direct return of boats, he added.

The Ministry of Defence deployed a surveillance aircraft over the Channel, while Home Secretary Priti Patel met Border Force staff in Dover.

Calais MP Pierre-Henri Dumont told Radio 4s Today programme: This is a political measure to show some kind of resource to fight against smugglers and illegal crossings in the Channel, but technically speaking that wont change anything.

Lisa Doyle, director of advocacy at the Refugee Council, said: Seeking asylum is not a crime, and it is legitimate that people have to cross borders to do so.

Instead of scapegoating people in desperate circumstances, the Prime Minister and his Government could address this by ensuring that people do not have to take these risks.

When immigration minister Chris Philp meets his counterparts in Paris they are expected to discuss demands by the French government for more money to stop migrant crossings.

There have been reports that Paris wants an extra 30m from Boris Johnsons government to fund patrols off the French coast and prevent the boats getting anywhere near the UK.

Two years ago Theresa May agreed to spend nearly 50m on increased security at Calais and other French ports, including fencing and CCTV, to stop a repeat of the Jungle refugee camp.

This was an addition to the 2003 Le Touquet accord between the two nations which allows for UK border checks at Calais. The extra fencing was designed to stop migrants boarding lorries bound for Britain via the Channel Tunnel.

The UK also hopes to use Brexit to free itself of the Dublin Regulations which place time limits on returns for migrants. For the French governments part, they want the extra money to step up patrols of the coastline. One politician said is unsustainable with the resources it currently has.

Pierre-Henri Dumont, the MP for Calais, told Radio 4s Today programme: We are already trying to do whatever we can, but if youve got dozens of crossings a day, thats very difficult for us to stop a boat.

It only takes five minutes to have a small boat at sea full with migrants, with a coast of 300km to monitor.

What is clear is that Paris does not want to see Royal Navy boats entering French waters. Mr Dumont said: I dont know if the British Government would be very happy to see the other way, if French vessels would enter without any ask, before or without any decision before, into British waters.

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Boris Johnson will use Brexit to make it easier to send back migrants to France - iNews