Migrants sprint across French beach to reach UK undeterred by asylum reforms

Scores of migrants have been pictured sprinting across a beach in northern France to board UK-bound dinghies – undeterred by Shabana Mahmood's woeful new asylum reforms. The migrants were seen running through the tide at Gravelines beach, east of Calais, this morning. Many of the migrants were young men, who bolted through the surf to secure a place on dangerously-overloaded inflatables. It came less than a day since the Home Secretary announced immediate changes to the asylum system that she vowed would 'reduce the incentives that draw people here at such scale'. Her reforms, which she described as 'firm but fair', will give successful asylum seekers permission to stay in Britain for 30 months and they will then have to re-apply or return home. Critics immediately pointed out that the changes would have little effect on how long asylum seekers get to stay in the country.