French authorities have been blasted by Reform UK leader Richard Tice over the rising numbers of illegal migrants crossing the English Channel. Thousands of migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats over the past few days leading to British officials pressuring the French Government to take tougher action. However, Mr Tice criticised the UK Government for agreeing to pay France to patrol the Channel saying: "The more money we send to France the more migrants they seem happy to let come to the UK.”

       Mr Tice told TalkRadio: "Look this crisis has been coming at us for the last 12 months.

       "My good friend Nigel [Farage] was the first to highlight it last summer and he highlighted earlier this year that he had forecasted it would be over 20,000 for the year.

       "It is now forecasted it may be 30,000.

       "The situation is now completely out of control."

       He continued: "The more money we send to France..guess what!

       "The more migrants they seem happy to let come over the English Channel to the UK.

       "It is completely out of control."

       It comes as Immigration Minister Chris Philp travelled to Paris to demand France to more action to intercept and detain migrants before they enter British waters.

       A UK Government source said: "Its clear results are needed, we need to see action by the French Government as soon as possible."

       The Labour Party meanwhile have laid into the Government over failing to get to grips with the migrant crisis.

       Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said: "Time and time again, the Government has announced arrangements with France using taxpayers' money but the numbers keep increasing.

       "The Government needs to have a strategy that includes tackling the criminal gangs that operate away from the coast of France that are facilitating these dangerous crossings.

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       "Ministers must also reopen safe and legal routes to prevent people undertaking this dangerous sea crossing, and reverse the decision to close the Department for International Development that was addressing why people become displaced from their homes."

       The UK Government has taken action to expedite the processing of migrants on arrival in kent.

       Asylum claims from hundreds of arrival will be processed at a new Intake Unit to be up and running by next May.

       "Our New Plan for Immigration is the only credible long-term plan to fix the broken asylum system and bring this exploitation to an end," said a Home Office spokesperson.