Retired Royal Navy admiral blasts government for its 'catastrophic' handling of Channel migrant crisis

Rear Admiral Chris Parry, a former Nato Commander, launched a scathing broadside at politicians in Westminster over the soaring numbers of migrants reaching the UK.

The former officer – who lives in Drayton – was speaking after it was revealed a record number of migrants had crossed the Channel to the UK in a single day.

Speaking to GB News, Mr Parry said: ‘The facts of life are that unless they change the law, there's nothing more they can do.

‘I'm afraid to say, we've seen a catastrophic lack of will and commitment by the Government to actually deal with this problem.

‘There's never been a coherent strategy. There's never really been a sort of idea of what we're trying to achieve.’

He made his comments in an interview with Mercy Muroki and Alex Phillips and added: ‘The proper resources haven't been applied.

‘Technologies and other platforms…haven't been provided. We've been tinkering around the edges at the tactical level.

‘I'm afraid to say it's a catastrophic failure. If I were running this, I'd be holding my head in shame.’

SEE ALSO: Fareham named top town for cruise bookings

Asked if home secretary Priti Patel should resign over the issue, Mr Parry said: ‘That's not for me to decide. That's for the next prime minister.

‘But I think, although there's going to be a respite in the autumn when the weather changes, I would hope that the next prime minister will come in with a coherent strategy.

‘It's not good enough to say wait and see. I haven't heard either of the two main candidates tell us so far what they're going to do about this. It's very simple.

‘Just sort out what it is you want to achieve, because right now, nobody in government knows what they want to achieve here.’

The retired naval boss also praised Fareham MP Suella Braverman for her stance on the migrant issue during her failed bid to become the next Tory leader.

But he added: ‘The fact of life is there is no will to do anything about it. It's all too difficult.’