A UK-funded migrant detention centre in France faces a legal challenge from an environmental group, with political opponents criticising the Labour government's deal as ineffective amid rising Channel crossings.

Labour's £660m migrant deal with France faces legal challenges after French environmental group Flemish-Artois Coastal Environmental Defense Assembly filed an appeal against a new detention centre near Dunkirk, with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood committing £500m for police patrols, vessels, helicopters, drones and surveillance plus £160m for new tactics, as critics note over 1,000 migrants crossed the Channel in recent days and total UK payments to France exceed £1.3bn.