European migration officials met for an emergency meeting on 28 November in the French port of Calais after 27 people died trying to reach Britain in an overcrowded inflatable boat. However, an invitation to the UK was withdrawn after Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on France to take back people who had crossed the English Channel to the UK.

Priti Patel is to set off on a tour of European capitals this week as part of a scaled up effort to resolve the migrant crisis that had been plaguing the UK and souring relations with France, reported The Times.

Furthermore, the UK is said to be mulling using its presidency in the G7 to summon an extraordinary meeting to discuss the Channel migrant issue after botched attempts to hammer out a bilateral fix to the crisis with France.

A disparaging description of Patel’s frantic efforts by cited Home Office sources likened the minister to a “headless chicken . . . on a plane to whoever will speak to her”.