The UK will start releasing chunks of the £54 million deal promised to the French to combat Channel migrant crossings as part of efforts to repair relations with Paris.
Damian Hinds, the security and borders minister, responded to a fresh outburst by the French government at the weekend by insisting the money would start to be paid in the “coming weeks”.
It is the first time the UK government has publicly agreed to pay the money since Priti Patel, the home secretary, threatened to withhold every penny if the French failed to crack down on the record numbers of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats.
It is understood to be part of wider diplomatic efforts by the UK government to patch up relations with
