The former Australian prime minister made these comments at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester when he was asked about the immigration strategies implemented during his tenure in Australia.

Under Abbott’s leadership, the Liberal government introduced Operation Sovereign Borders shortly after winning the 2013 election, targeting asylum seekers traveling to Australia by boat.

Abbott suggested that the UK might benefit from adopting some of the policies and tactics from Australia, as the issue of boat migration remains significant in British politics.

His proposals included “establishing processing centers in British dependent territories… instead of accommodating people in comfortable hotels in pleasant British towns”.

“This could involve holding individuals on a mothership in the English Channel and then placing them in unsinkable life rafts with just enough fuel to return to France overnight, similar to our approach in Java,” he explained.

“Or whether it’s conducting very vigorous mafia-busting operations in northern France.”

Anti-immigration protests have popped up around the country in recent times and the issue has contributed to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s low popularity in opinion polls.

Abbott claimed the UK has a right to protect itself.

“You start off with the clear understanding that any country which effectively facilitates illegal migration into yours is guilty of an unfriendly act,” he said.

“And you have a right as a sovereign nation to protect yourself against what is, in effect, a peaceful invasion.”

Abbott spoke alongside Britain’s shadow secretary of state for foreign, commonwealth and development affairs, Priti Patel, who was the Home Secretary between 2019 and 2022.

During her tenure, Britain signed a controversial deal with Rwanda which would see people identified as illegal immigrants deported to the African nation.

Abbott insisted the issue of migration by boat was an issue Britain needed to act quickly on, even if it meant causing potential diplomatic issues with key neighbours like France.

“Britain has to get serious about this, and it is going to involve deeply upsetting the French,” he said.

“But hey, Britain has had a lot of experience, and it needs to happen again.”