Drones could be used to burst dinghies before they leave France, suggested Lord Lucas. (Image: GETTY)
Drones could be used to disable people smugglers' boats before they embark on the dangerous journey across the English Channel, a Conservative peer has controversially suggested.
Hereditary peer Lord Lucas, known for owning and publishing The Good Schools Guide, proposed the idea during a discussion in the House of Lords about the UK’s future combat air capabilities.
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He asked: "The drone capability we see daily in Ukraine - could that not be used to puncture people smugglers' boats before they leave French shores?"
Responding, Defence Minister Lord Coaker said: "Well, I’m not sure about that, but of course, the use of drones is becoming increasingly important. Regarding his suggestion, I’m sure it will be noted and considered in due course."
It was not immediately clear whether Lord Lucas was suggesting the drones in question should be deployed by the UK or France.
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Lord Lucas is a hereditary peer. (Image: Parliament TV)
His remarks follow a Home Office report that 973 migrants crossed the Channel in 17 small boats on Saturday, marking the highest daily figure this year.
All speaking in the Lords yesterday, Home Office minister Lord Hanson of Flint insisted Rishi Sunak’s scrapped plan to send small boat migrants to Rwanda had been "smoke and mirrors”.
Denying Labour’s decision to pull the plug had been "a tad rash”, the peer accused the previous Conservative Government of failing to tackle the gangs behind the illicit human trade.
The Tories spent about ￡700 million on its flagship Rwanda policy before the general election earlier this year, according to Labour ministers' figures released in July.
The scheme, to remove some people who had arrived in England by small boat to east Africa, agreed in a treaty between London and Kigali, was intended as a deterrent.
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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer scrapped the Rwanda Scheme shortly after coming into office. (Image: Getty)
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However, just four volunteers ultimately arrived in Rwanda and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer declared the plan "dead and buried" as one of his first moves in office.
The Government subsequently introduced a new border security command, with the aim of rooting out smuggling gangs through the use of counter-terror style tactics and intelligence-sharing with European neighbours.
The Labour administration has also expressed interest in Italy's off-shore processing agreement with Albania, in curbing unauthorised arrivals by sea.
Critics including Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claim Labour has no credible strategy for tackling the problem.
Nigel Farage does not believe Labour has a credible plan to prevent migrant crossings (Image: Getty)
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Writing for Express.co.uk last month, he said: "This Government's promise to smash the gangs organising these crossings will never, in my opinion, work.
"The truth is, they don't have any realistic plan at all.”
The Clacton MP explained: "For decades, we've promised that we'd smash the drug gangs that inhabit all the towns and cities in our country.
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"But of course, we can't smash the drug gangs any more than we can smash the gangs operating out of Dunkirk and Calais for one very simple reason - money.
"If a gang smuggling migrants across the English Channel can make up to €2 million a week, it doesn't matter how severe the penalties are.
"There will always be someone to fill the place of those who have been arrested."