'Major deterrent' needed for small boats, says Ed Davey

The leader of the Liberal Democrats has said a "major deterrent" is essential to end small boat crossings across the Channel.

In an interview with BBC South East, Sir Ed Davey said the size of the coastline meant "unless we have a major deterrent like a returns agreement with every single EU country, we won't sort it".

He said the current situation was "not good for the country" or the "people who put their lives in danger" and reiterated his call for the UK to join the new EU migration pact.

The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said it was a "mistake" to see the EU pact as "some sort of silver bullet."

Between 1 January and 14 September 2026, a total of 17,425 people crossed the English Channel by small boat from France. This was down by 44% on the same period the previous year.

Sir Ed argued that joining the new EU migration pact was the "only practical solution" to end small boat crossings completely.

The Liberal Democrats have blamed the emergence of the crossings on the lack of a returns agreement between the UK and EU after Brexit.

"We didn't have [small boat crossings] before Brexit," he said, "because then we had returns agreements and if we were to join the EU migration pact we would be able to return every single person coming over on small boats".

Asked why previous returns agreements had not stopped migrants crossing the Channel by stowing away in lorries while the UK was in the EU, Sir Ed said they had provided a deterrent effect, as he claimed the number of people crossing had been "much, much smaller".

However, he said there had been a "problem in the past, even before we left the EU" in "getting that law enforced" which he said was the key "so the returns agreements actually operate".

He claimed the new pact "had a number of dimensions to it" which would make it more effective.

Sir Ed first called for the UK to join the EU's new Migration and Asylum Pact back in August.

The pact, which came into force in June 2026, introduces mandatory screening and an updated database to track those arriving in the bloc.

Under the rules, EU nations must take in migrants from those member states that see the highest number of arrivals - such as Italy and Greece - or instead provide extra funding or resources.

Mahmood earlier told MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee that it would be "a real mistake to think that pact is the future and if we were in that, this problem would go away because, I promise you, it would not".

The Human Rights group Human Rights Watch has previously claimed that the EU pact undermined the rights of asylum seekers.

Asked about their concerns, Sir Ed said the pact was "compliant with the European Convention [on Human Rights] and I think that gives us all the confidence we need".

"The key thing is making sure this works, making sure we do uphold our international obligations, so there would be safe and legal routes agreed under the pact, but we would be able to end the small boats crossings and crack down on people coming here illegally," he said.

Sir Ed was also asked about the planned expansion of Gatwick Airport, which he opposed, and the proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport.

"I think actually it is a real problem for many people in Greater London and in Surrey," he said.

"We've got to make sure that when we expand airports, it's done in a sustainable way, in a way which both meets the local environmental issues, air pollution, noise pollution, as well as climate change issues.

"So of course we need to celebrate flight, flight is fantastic. But we need to make sure it's clean flight.

"Until we get much closer to clean flight I don't think we should allow these airports to keep expanding."

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