Shadow home secretary criticises French ID scheme

Jersey's ID scheme for French day-trippers risks opening a "dangerous backdoor" into the UK, the shadow home secretary Chris Philp has said.

Deputies last week unanimously agreed to continue the scheme which allows French day-trippers to visit Jersey using their national ID cards rather than a port.

Home Affairs Minister Deputy Mary Le Hegarat said she had been sent a letter by her UK counterparts outlining concerns. The BBC has requested a copy of the letter.

The Home Office said: "Crown dependencies are self-governing, with their own immigration requirements which we cannot comment on."

Philp said the ID scheme was a "glaring loophole" in the Common Travel Area and "undermined our national immigration rules".

"Allowing entry on ID cards rather than ports risks opening a dangerous backdoor into the UK," he said.

"The government's job is to keep our borders secure.

"Ministers must urgently set out what safeguards are in place to prevent abuse and ensure this policy isn't exploited as a route into mainland Britain without proper checks."

Le Hegarat said Jersey officials had had "ongoing formal engagement on this matter with the UK government since 2023".

"Now that we have a clear mandate from the assembly, I will continue this engagement with UK ministers and ensure we can continue to operate the scheme with the right safeguards in place," she said.

"Until those discussions progress, I'm not in a position to comment further."

Guernsey is yet to make a decision on whether to continue its ID card scheme for French visitors but the BBC understands the island's Committee for Home Affairs is considering an extension.