And after all, what is a navy for if not to, well, stop boats invading our shores? It’s all very well to talk of using landing craft or River-class patrol boats: but we don’t have many of either. Imagine the problems just mentioned are solved and a Royal Navy vessel laden with unwilling returnees arrives off the French coast. Shepherding large unwilling groups a fair way across the Channel to a relatively populated French coast is something else. If we could, there would be much to be said for not worrying too much about the legalities and returning all such vessels to the French coast.