The Royal National Lifeboat Institution has said it is ‘overwhelmed’ after receiving more than £200,000 in 24 hours in response to criticism of its work rescuing migrants crossing the Channel.
After the charity posted footage of a rescue on social media, former UKIP leader Nigel Farage accused it of becoming a ‘taxi service for illegal trafficking gangs’.
He said criminals were ‘pushing migrants across into the English channel’ with the knowledge that lifeboats would pick them up if anything went wrong – adding that he was nonetheless a supporter of the organisation.
The RNLI’s chief executive, Mark Dowie, slammed Mr Farage’s comments, saying the charity had a ‘moral and legal duty’ to step in and that he was ‘very proud’ of volunteers.
It recorded an outpouring of donations in the following 24 hours, up 2,800 per cent from its typical daily average of £7,000.
Fundraising director Jayne George said it came from a mix of one-off donations, new regular supporters and existing supporters raising their contributions.
She said: ‘We are overwhelmed with the huge level of support we have received in the last couple of days.
‘This was never a fundraising campaign – we simply wanted to tell the story of our crews and make it clear that our charity exists to save lives at sea.
‘Our mission is to save every one. Our supporters’ kindness means so much to us. Without them we could not save lives at sea; every one is a lifesaver.’
However, a small number of regular contributors have stopped supporting the charity over the ‘polarising issue’, she added.
The government praised the RNLI’s ‘vital work’, arguing that it is compatible with efforts to stop dangerous crossings of the Channel Sea.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told LBC radio he didn’t think a ‘robust approach’ towards small boats making the journey was at odds with the ‘heart and soul’ of the charity.
Boris Johnson’s spokesperson said the crossings are ‘dangerous and unnecessary’ and that the government is working to ‘tackle the issue’ by going after the people traffickers involved.
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