Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell said there is no simple "switch" that could be used to stop small boats, during an interview with BBC local radio on the eve of the party's annual conference.
Powell, speaking in a pre-conference media appearance, used the phrase to emphasise the complexity of the issue, telling the broadcaster there is not a single, immediate solution that would halt crossings.
Her remarks come as migration and border management have remained prominent topics in public and political debate in the UK. Powell’s intervention is part of a string of comments by senior politicians ahead of the party gathering as they set out priorities and respond to questions about policy on movement across the Channel.
The deputy leader’s interview was broadcast on BBC local radio; she did not outline a specific new policy in the segment. The Labour conference will bring together party figures and members to discuss a range of issues, where migration and border policy are expected to feature among the subjects under consideration.