'Not our friends!' New migrant crisis looms as Brexit-hating French PM Barnier faces chaotic confidence vote

He said this could result in the government having insufficient funds to pay the police who patrol the Channel in northern France.

The French Gendarmes and Police Nationale are crucial to stopping migrants from boarding boats set for Britain.

Retailleau said: “If we do not have a text, including a budget text, for the Ministry of the Interior, it is €751million less if we renew the 2024 budget for 2025.

“This means problems paying the police, no new gendarmeries, no new police stations.”

The warning comes ahead of a no-confidence vote today on Barnier's government, which is on the brink of collapse after it used article 49.3 of the French constitution to push through a social security budget bill without a vote.

If the vote goes through, it would mark the first time a French government has fallen through such a measure since 1962.

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The controversial social security bill aims to tackle France's growing public deficit through £50bn in tax increases and spending cuts.

Some are worried that the shortfall in funds could result in the British Government paying more money, with the French “knowing full well that the Labour Party will give them what they want”.

Robert Bates, research director at the Centre for Migration Control, told the Daily Express: “The only real contribution the French have made to the Channel crisis is to escort migrant boats into British waters and then wash their hands of the problem.

“We have been paying them hundreds of millions to effectively exacerbate the problem.“

"This planned cut to their policing budget will no doubt see them demand more money from the British Government, knowing full well that the Labour Party will give them what they want.”

He said that Britain would be left to do all the heavy lifting and the attempts to “smash the gangs” would be in vain.

Bates stressed that the only way to end illegal migration is to detain and deport illegal migrants, stating that working with Europe had proved futile.

“On this issue, the French are not our friends, and simply see us as an easy revenue stream. Strengthening our borders does not require the generosity of others to make it work,” he added.

France faces further instability thanks to today’s potential no-confidence vote. Both the far-right National Rally and an alliance of left-wing parties have tabled no-confidence motions against Barnier's government.

The prime minister urged MPs not to back the motion, telling parliament: “The French expect stability and visibility.”

Since September, Barnier's minority government has relied on National Rally support to survive, despite a left-wing alliance winning July's snap election.

However, Marine Le Pen, leader of National Rally, recently declared: "The French have had enough. Maybe they thought with Michel Barnier things would get better, but they were even worse."

Barnier, the former chief Brexit negotiator, gained notoriety among Britain's top political brass as a result of his aggressive style in talks which irked many UK officials.