Attacks on the RNLI for rescuing migrants crossing the Channel have been branded ‘absolutely disgusting’ by the MP for Newton Abbot.

Martin Wrigley visited the Teignmouth RNLI on Saturday (September 12) to show solidarity with the charity and its local volunteers.

Nationally, the RNLI has been subjected to social media abuse, escalating to real-life threats to some of its volunteers, after bringing a boatload of people, who had crossed the Channel in a dinghy, safely ashore in Portsmouth on September 6. Hundreds of far-right protesters, masked and dressed in black, blockaded the port, many accusing the RNLI of being ‘traitors’ for helping migrants reach UK shores.

The attacks are based on deliberate misinformation; the RNLI goes to the aid of any vessel reported by HM Coastguard to be in possible danger at sea. All small boats crossing the Channel are classed as being in distress.

But the lifeboat charity had already been put in the firing line by the Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who in 2021 described it as a ‘taxi service for illegal immigration’.

Martin Wrigley said the latest attacks and personal threats were ‘despicable’ and that he had visited the Teignmouth RNLI branch to express his personal support for the charity.

There’s a good reason why the RNLI is close to his heart. When Martin was in his early 20s his father was rescued at sea after he and two Navy midshipman colleagues got into trouble off Bournemouth when their boat capsized. The other two lost their lives.

He said: “The allegations from a group of men, dressed in black and wearing face coverings, against the RNLI are disgraceful and wrong.

“The RNLI rescue people from trouble at sea without question. They face personal danger and save lives. They are heroes.”

He added that the vitriol directed at the RNLI had landed badly in the Teignmouth area, where so many people are involved with the charity or have been rescued by its local volunteers.

He said: “Our coastal community depends on them and the associated groups that enable us to be safe and enjoy living by the sea.

“RNLI volunteers told me they have got many messages of support. This is very encouraging.”

The leader of Teignbridge District Council has also condemned the anti-RNLI attacks and praised the many lifeboat volunteers in this area.

Cllr Richard Keeling said: “The abuse and threats directed at RNLI personnel elsewhere in the country are completely unacceptable.

“At Teignbridge District Council, we recognise our responsibility to represent our communities and to be a voice of support for the volunteers who make such a vital contribution to public life, especially those serving with the RNLI.

“The role of Teignmouth RNLI in keeping local residents, visitors, and those who work on and around our waters safe cannot be overstated. Their volunteers give their time, skills and dedication to helping others, often in challenging and demanding circumstances.

“We are proud to support our brave RNLI volunteers and thank them for their continued commitment, courage and service to our community.”