By GB News (World News) | Created at 2026-09-05 10:35:50 | Updated at 2026-09-05 11:39:35
1 hour ago
A National Rally government would use “all means necessary” to stop the flow of migrants across the English Channel, the party’s president has told GB News.
Speaking at the Reform UK conference in Birmingham, Jordan Bardella said: “The destination of illegal migrants entering France shall not be the United Kingdom, they should be returned to their countries of origin.
“The English Channel must no longer be a migration route to Dover or Folkestone, where thousands of people risk their lives in the hands of criminal smuggling gangs with the complicity of the Leftists.
“Together, we must put an end to these daily routes. We must break the smuggler business model and together we must take back control of our borders.”
In an exclusive interview with GB News, Mr Bardella said that Channel should not “be a cemetery” and that, if elected, his party would use “all means necessary” to stop the crossings.
Arguing that the flow of migrants to Britain would be stemmed if illegal immigration into France was slashed, Mr Bardella told the People’s Channel: “The issue of immigration in the UK is firstly because of the issue in France, if we solve one of these issues, then the others will benefit from it.”
The president of the National Rally party said that boats being pushed back to France would be an admission of failure for the French authorities. “If they'd done their work, there won’t be any boats leaving the French coast towards the UK for a simple reason: If we protected these borders between France and Italy and Europe and Lampedusa, for instance, and between Greece and Turkey … there wouldn’t be any influx into the Calais region."
Mr Bardella spoke to GB News presenter Miriam Cates ahead of signing a memorandum of understanding on stage with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage to commit to stopping illegal immigration.
Jordan Bardella spoke exclusively to GB News
GB NEWS
The pledges included interceptions at sea and the return of migrant vessels to France, along with commitments from the French side to slash the flow of illegal migrants to northern France.
To stem the flow of migrants to France, Mr Bardella said that the country “needs to become less attractive for immigration, and we will make sure that welfare payments will not be given for foreigners arriving in France."
He argued that by slashing welfare, France could prevent an “influx” of migration.
During his speech, the politician, tipped in the polls to become the next prime minister of France, told the conference that too many French and British cities are no longer recognisable to the people who grew up in them.
“Sometimes they feel like a stranger in their own country. They see it sectarianising, they see their identity changing and they see their way of life being replaced by foreign ways of life that are often incompatible with our values.”
Speaking to GB News, he said: “And I know that in Great Britain, like in France, our citizens as well feel like foreigners in their own countries.”
He also warned that “mass immigration is creating a lack of balance in French society, and I do not want France to become another country.”
He continued: “Obviously Great Britain is an island, but the borders need to be protected in the UK and to protect the identity of the British people.”
Mr Bardella warned GB News viewers that patriotism was now being considered a negative trait in Western societies.
He said that France was losing its soul along with “its identity, its culture and everything that it was admired and respected for by the world for centuries, including under De Gaulle.”
He said that he wanted “France to remain France, to defend its tradition, equality amongst men and women, and defend freedom and rights.”
The 30-year-old stressed that “unfortunately, today, Islamism is making France fragile.”
Mr Bardella referred to concerns raised by the UAE government after it removed state funding for students considering British universities over concerns students faced an Islamist radicalisation risk.
He warned that “Britain had become a breeding ground for terrorism and Islamist belief.”
He told GB News that: “We will put Muslim brotherhood on the terrorist list. They want to conquer … and have declared war on France. We will close radical mosques and dissolve all organisations that promote Islamism … that is the best gift we can give the French Muslim people who respect our laws.”
Asked by GB News presenter Miriam Cates if there were underhand plots to prevent his party from winning an election, he said that “every effort will be done and made to stop [patriotic parties] from getting into power.”
He continued: “This is the case in many countries in Europe, but I believe that the will of the French people will be stronger, that these attempts to give French people an alternative. We are the defenders of democracy and the majority of people.”
