Immigration minister Rob Jenrick has admitted to safety concerns over the use “pushback” tactics against small boats in the England Channel, confirming plans had been withdrawn.
The highly-controversial Home Office scheme to turn dinghies around and forcibly send asylum seekers back to France was pulled in April ahead of a judicial review.
Describing the policy as “currently withdrawn”, Mr Jenrick conceded that there were only “limited circumstances” in which pushbacks could be safely done.