Most Britons believe France is failing to tackle Channel migrant crossings

For years, successive British governments have insisted that tackling small boat crossings requires close cooperation with France. New agreements have been signed, additional funding has been pledged and ministers on both sides of the Channel have repeatedly promised closer operational working. Yet despite those efforts, public confidence appears to remain in short supply.

New polling by YouGov suggests that most Britons are unconvinced the French authorities are making a genuine effort to prevent migrants crossing the Channel in small boats. Just 13 per cent of those surveyed believe France is sincerely trying to stop the crossings, while 62 per cent say it is not.

The findings point to a widening gap between diplomatic messaging and public perception. Although Anglo-French cooperation has become an increasingly important pillar of Britain's border strategy, many voters remain sceptical that it is producing meaningful results.

That scepticism is strongest among those who backed the Conservatives and Reform UK at the 2024 general election. Only 5 per cent of Conservative voters and 6 per cent of Reform supporters believe France is making a genuine effort to prevent the crossings. Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green voters express greater confidence, with around one in five believing the French authorities are acting in good faith, but even among those groups the prevailing view is one of doubt.

The survey also reveals uncertainty over the scale of the crossings themselves. More than a third of Britons, 36 per cent, believe the number of migrants arriving by small boat is higher this year than in previous years. By comparison, 28 per cent think the number has fallen, while 17 per cent believe it has remained broadly unchanged.

Political affiliation again shapes opinion. Conservative and Reform supporters are more likely to believe crossings have increased, whereas Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green voters are more inclined to think the numbers have declined.

The debate over Channel crossings has become one of the defining tests of successive governments, with immigration remaining consistently high on the list of issues voters expect ministers to address. Alongside domestic enforcement measures, Britain has invested heavily in cooperation with France, funding additional patrols, surveillance technology and policing along the northern French coast in an effort to disrupt crossings before they begin.

The latest YouGov findings suggest that those initiatives have yet to convince much of the public. Whether that scepticism reflects the continued visibility of small boat arrivals, frustration with the pace of progress or broader concerns about border security, confidence in the effectiveness of Anglo-French cooperation appears to be in limited supply.

For ministers, that presents a challenge extending beyond the crossings themselves. Diplomatic agreements may shape policy, but public confidence is shaped by results. On that measure, the latest polling indicates many Britons remain unconvinced that France is doing enough to stem the flow of migrants across the Channel.