France rejects idea of joint patrols with UK forces on Calais coast

Boris Johnson proposal rebuffed with suggestion he offer legal alternatives to reduce risky Channel crossings

France has formally rejected Boris Johnson's proposal for British forces to conduct joint border patrols around Calais to deter migrants from crossing the Channel.

In a letter to Johnson, Jean Castex, the French prime minister, suggested the UK should instead focus on reforming its own systems to offer legal immigration paths" for people wishing to come to the country instead of risking the perilous crossing.