No, Farage, the Royal Navy can’t stop small boats. This is why
- Posted on August 3, 2026
- By I Paper
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- 1 min read
In brief
Reform UK's proposal to deploy the Royal Navy against Channel crossings faces significant operational challenges. While Nigel Farage's 'Operation Fortress' plan promises military interception of migrant boats, maritime law experts and former EU naval mission commanders question its feasibility and effectiveness. Recent data shows crossings have declined 43% year-over-year, suggesting alternative approaches may be more successful than large-scale military interventions in international waters.
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No, Farage, the Royal Navy can’t stop small boats. This is why
Reform has pledged to use the Royal Navy to “intercept” small boats crossing the Channel and return them to France. But it isn’t quite that simple. Nigel Farage’s party said the plan would constitute the “largest military operation” in the Channel since the Second World War and would be coined ‘Operation Fortress’. More than 2,000 migrants have arrived on small boats since Andy Burnham became prime minister last month, but crossings so far this year are down around 43 per cent compared to the same period in 2025. Professor Kevin Rowlands, who worked on Operation Sophia, an EU naval mission […]
