James Cleverly says helping the EU to secure its borders is part of the plan for halting small boat crossings.

It comes after it was revealed the UK is set to sign a new arrangement with the EU’s border agency as part of its efforts to stop small boats crossing the Channel.

The deal agreed with the EU’s Frontex agency will see the UK Border Force co-operate more closely with its European counterparts, exchanging intelligence and collaborating on training, new technology and operations.

“The EU wants to secure its external borders just as we do”, said Cleverly.

“People who are coming into Europe from the Eastern European across the Mediterranean, we want to stop them.

“We want to help stop them because those people filter through Europe and ultimately find themselves on small boats coming across the UK.”