Reform's Royal Navy small boats plan meets Navy scepticism

Reform UK's proposal to deploy the Royal Navy against Channel small boats has drawn mockery from a former Royal Navy officer, GB News reports, with the ex-officer describing it as "Operation bouncy castle". The Guardian asks whether the plan is feasible; the Mirror calls it "choreographed nonsense".

The proposal appears to involve intercepting migrant boats at sea. Several outlets note that Nigel Farage announced the policy amid questions over his declared interests in cryptocurrency firms. The Express reports Reform was "humiliated" by the announcement; the Mirror suggests the timing is designed to divert attention from those sleaze questions.

The house angle: naval interception at sea runs into international law. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea obliges ships to assist those in distress - and a dinghy in the Channel, by definition, qualifies. Push a boat back and you own the rescue; tow it to France and the French can refuse it; patrol without a destination and you have purchased a ferry service at destroyer running costs. The policy's opponents know this; its proponents know the opponents know it. The argument is not really about what works - it is about who still wants to try.

Farage has also confirmed he is in talks with Rupert Lowe's Restore Britain on a possible pact to unite the right, GB News reports. Watch whether those talks produce a deal before the next electoral test - and whether the Navy plan survives contact with the Ministry of Defence's legal advice.