The government spent £25m deploying military in the canal to stop migrants crossing

The government has spent nearly £25million deploying the military in the English Channel to stop migrants crossing.

Royal Navy ships have been sent out as a deterrent after the Ministry of Defense took responsibility for illegal crossings from the Home Office.

2

The Sun on Sunday told last month how it had cost £20million before Operation Isotrope – which began last April – ended on January 31.

Now a freedom of information request has revealed the final figure is £24.77million – an average cost of £84,553 a day to taxpayers.

Despite the military intervention, the number of migrants has continued to rise – with 45,728 landings in small boats in 2022, plus 1,180 in 27 vessels last month.

Dover MP Natalie Elphicke previously said the mammoth cost of Isotrope “underscores the importance of ending this small boat crisis”.

2