Prime minister Boris Johnson has revealed he is drafting in the Royal Navy to tackle Channel migrant crisis

The PM insisted Britain was seeking to ‘take back control’ of its borders.

It comes after controversial plans were revealed which will see Britain flying out asylum seekers who have crossed the Channel to Rwanda to be ‘processed’.

Mr Johnson said giving the Royal Navy responsibility for tackling migrants crossing the English Channel will send a clear message to criminal gangs.

He said: ‘This will be supported by £50m of new funding for new boats, aerial surveillance and military personnel.

‘In addition to the existing taskforce of patrol vessels, helicopters, search and rescue aircraft, drones and remotely piloted aircraft, this will send a clear message to those piloting the boats: if you risk other people’s lives in the Channel, you risk spending your own life in prison.

‘People who do make it to the UK will be taken not to hotels at vast public expense, rather they will be housed in accommodation centres like those in Greece with the first of these to open shortly.’

Mr Johnson said the Senior Service will take over operational command from Border Force in the Channel from today.

He said the new offshore asylum approach is intended to end the ‘barbaric trade in human misery conducted by the people smugglers in the channel’, and said crossings could reach 1,000 a day in a few weeks.

He said: ‘These vile people smugglers are abusing the vulnerable and turning the Channel into a watery graveyard.’

He also warned of ‘exploitation’ if people enter the UK that way.

He said: ‘To identify, intercept and investigate these boats, from today the Royal Navy will take over operational command from Border Force in the Channel, taking primacy for our operational response at sea in line with many of our international partners with the aim that no boat makes it to the UK undetected.’

Expected to deploy as part of this new Channel mission would be offshore patrol ships from Portsmouth, including the likes of HMS Severn.

The Ministry of Defence will bolster Border Force with an offshore patrol vessel, up to six patrol boats, and one Wildcat helicopter operating in the Channel, it is understood.

The MoD will make available a range of Royal Navy surface and surveillance assets to bolster Border Force capabilities until longer-term capabilities have been contracted.

It is understood the MoD will make use of offshore patrol vessels, which are typically used for coastal defence, and have been used to protect and enforce UK fishing waters.

It will also use up to six P2000s patrol boats, and one Wildcat helicopter, the latter of which is described on the MoD’s website as “maritime attack helicopter”, capable of operating from frigates and destroyers.

The MoD has secured £50 million to deliver its role in the Channel and provide additional capabilities.

The news follows months a debate over whether the navy should step in to tackle the migrant crisis, which has so far seen almost 5,000 refugees crossing the Channel to the UK this year.

In February, the Ministry of Defence insisted it would not be part of any operation to send migrants crossing the Channel back to France.

It followed a claim by home secretary Priti Patel that the Senior Service would play its part in tackling the refugee crisis.

Speaking at the time, the MoD said they would not be enforcing the Ms Patel's push back policy after Ms Patel said a fellow minister’s comments about the navy being ruled out any operation was wrong.

Speaking during the Commons home affairs committee in February, Ms Patel said that armed forces minister James Heappey, who had ruled out navy involvement, was 'wrong to say anything specific in regards to work operationally as they're still being planned, that work is not competed yet'.

Asked about plans for the military to take over command of tackling migrant crossings from Border Force, Ms Patel described the work as a 'hybrid role' involving both the Home Office and the MoD and said the 'details are still being worked through'.

But the MoD later said in a post on Twitter: 'The Royal Navy and the Royal Marines will not be using push back tactics in the English Channel, although a military commander will retain the existing ability to instruct Border Force to use them when appropriate. A further update will follow in due course.'