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Ex-Royal Navy officer dismisses Reform UK's small boats plan as 'a crock of shit'
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Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, unveiled 'Operation Fortress,' a plan to use the Royal Navy to intercept and return asylum seekers crossing the English Channel in small boats, calling it the largest military operation in the Channel since WWII. The French government rejected the plan, stating it would violate French sovereignty and international law. Former Royal Navy officer John Foreman, a former UK Defence Attaché to Russia and Kyiv, publicly dismissed the plan as 'a crock of shit.' His criticism echoed that of former Navy commander Tom Sharpe, who argued that billion-pound warships are not suited for ferrying people and that a ferry would be more appropriate. Reform UK maintains the plan is a humanitarian mission and does not break international law.
Source report
A former Royal Navy officer has strongly criticised Reform UK's proposal to deploy the military to turn back small boats crossing the English Channel, calling the plan "a crock of shit."
John Foreman's remarks came after the French government also rejected the policy, which was unveiled on Monday by Reform leader Nigel Farage and home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf.
Operation Fortress
The plan, dubbed Operation Fortress, would involve the Royal Navy intercepting migrant boats and returning asylum seekers to their point of origin. Farage described it as "the largest military operation in the English Channel since World War Two."
Speaking at a press conference in London on Monday, Farage claimed the plan did not breach international law, arguing it would be a "humanitarian" mission.
French Government Response
The French interior ministry issued a statement rejecting the proposal, saying:
"This would constitute a violation of French sovereignty, as well as a violation of the law of the sea and international law."
A Reform UK spokesman responded: "We will always stand up for British interests and protect our people, whether Emmanuel Macron likes it or not. Humanitarian missions do not violate maritime or international law."
Military and Diplomatic Criticism
John Foreman, who commanded two warships during his naval career and served as UK Defence Attaché to both the Russian Federation and Kyiv, posted on X:
"What, and I use the phrase carefully, a crock of shit their plan is."
Foreman has also held military and diplomatic appointments in the US, with NATO, and the EU.
His criticism follows similar remarks from former Navy commander Tom Sharpe, who told the BBC:
"A billion pound warship that's configured for anti-air warfare or anti-submarine warfare, which are both threats to the UK, is not best used ferrying people around. You're better off using an actual ferry."
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Source
HuffPost UK - Athena2 - All Entries (Public)Western
Part of this Story
Reform UK Unveils Controversial Navy Plan to Stop Channel Migrants