Reform UK re-hash failed, ridiculous plan to use navy to stop migrants

Far-right Reform UK have re-hashed a failed plan to use the navy to stop channel migrants. The scheme was tried and discredited years ago, yet leading Reform figures are trying to promote it. Another day, another batshit fascist idea. And they even based it on recent events in Morocco.

The Guardian reported on 3 July that Farage had claimed:

his party would launch the “largest military operation in the English Channel since world war two” to prevent small boat crossings.

Needless to say, Farage and co are currently under the hammer about massive, shady donations. Internal crises are usually when dubious UK politicians start invoking A) racism and B) World War Two.

The Royal Navy is there to protect this country from invasion and that is what I intend to use it for. pic.twitter.com/jbvTUTEzZR

— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) August 3, 2026

Ever cynical, Farage cited a recent incident in Ceuta, Morocco:

Pointing to unrest at the Spain-Morocco border, he said the Royal Navy would be sent to the Channel to intercept all dinghies carrying asylum seekers should his party win power at the next general election.

You can read about that incident, which saw tens of thousands of migrants enter the Spanish colony, right here.

Naturally, Farage gave this a ridiculous name: “Operation Fortress”.

Operation Fortress? More like Operation Dumbass

For their party, the UK military seem to have absolutely no intention of basing what they do on an opinion Nige has pulled out of his arse.

The plan indicates:

that navy offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), instead of the Border Force’s fleet of five cutters and six patrol ships, would “close on and shadow” dinghies in the Channel.

One former navy commander described the plan as

an incredible waste of a military asset, to do a Border Force or ferrying job with a specialist warship.

In fact, the navy HAS been called in before. The result was a failure. The Guardian said:

In 2022, Boris Johnson’s government launched Operation Isotrope, which the then home secretary, Priti Patel, said would attempt to make crossing the Channel “unviable”.

Adding:

A tentative plan for “pushbacks” – where ships are used to force small boats to turn around back towards France – was abandoned after concerns from military figures that it would be impractical, dangerous, and leave naval officers open to legal action.

One problem is that maritime law demands people in need are rescued from the water, and the rescuers must not “create conditions for putting them in distress.”

Britain is being invaded.

It’s time to respond accordingly. pic.twitter.com/wv0Ln2RiPh

— Zia Yusuf (@ZiaYusufUK) August 3, 2026

Farage also insisted:

the French government would be expected to accept the returned asylum seekers, claiming he had spoken to unnamed French politicians about the plans.

He presented no evidence he had spoken to anyone.

Reform: war with France anyone?

Actual experts did not seem to agree that Farage’s plan could work. Oxford University’s Migration Observatory researcher Peter Walsh said:

If the UK returned asylum seekers to France without its permission, one plausible scenario is that this would have major diplomatic consequences, prompting France to suspend existing cooperation such as intelligence sharing and beach patrols in northern France.

Adding:

It is possible it would attempt to repel the British ships to prevent further returns.

Farage and his cronies might relish a war with France on nostalgia grounds. Few others would.

Leading immigration barrister Colin Yeo said:

it should be “utterly obvious” that such a move would be a violation of French sovereignty and an illegal act of international aggression.

A French government official said:

The [French] government would clearly not expect a key ally such as the UK to infringe on territory or waters without consent.

Once again Reform UK have managed to look like weird racists and massive grifters at the same time. Funny that. The correct response to channel crossings is a mix of proper safe routes and a genuine response to the crises which cause people to flee to the UK. Like with the rest of the UK’s problems, Reform have nothing to offer.

Featured image via the Canary

By Joe Glenton

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