UK to send Nato summit fences to Calais to deter illegal immigrants
Immigration minister says security barriers would help beef up measures and
show Britain was 'no soft touch'
* Press Association
* Sunday 7 September 2014 10.31 BST
Britain will send the fences used at the Nato summit to Calais in an effort
to stop illegal immigrants getting into Britain from the French port.
The immigration minister said the move is part of a bid to send a message
that the UK is "no soft touch" for those attempting to enter withiout going
through the proper process.
Writing
<
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/11079107/Calais-cri
sis-Britain-is-no-soft-touch-when-it-comes-to-illegal-immigration.html> in
the Sunday Telegraph, James Brokenshire addressed the problem at the port as
increasing numbers of migrants flock to the town in an attempt to reach the
shores of Britain.
In recent months as numbers have risen clashes have erupted at detention
centres, and the mayor of Calais has made a direct appeal to the UK to help
deal with the trouble.
Brokenshire said it is up to the French to maintain security and order on
their own land, but added that the UK would do what it could to help –
recalling a £3m boost to the port earlier this year to improve security.
The minister said the new fencing would replace the "inadequate" measures
currently in place, and added that a hope would be to create secure parking
for legal travellers to wait without the threat of any disruption.
In a stark warning to would-be illegal immigrants, Brokenshire said they
"should be under no illusion about what awaits them if they arrive here
illegally".
He said the Immigration Act ensures those who should not be in Britain will
not get benefits, housing, bank accounts or driving licences, and added that
criminal gangs who traffic people to the port on the promise of a better
life will be investigated and broken up.
he said: "Effective solutions must involve co-operation, not confrontation.
But in working with our international partners, I am, of course ever mindful
of our responsibilities on this side of the channel, chief of which is the
need for an immigration system that is fair to British citizens and
legitimate migrants and tough on those who flout the law."
On Saturday, former home secretary Lord Howard said France needed to deal
with the growing numbers of asylum seekers in Calais rather than blaming
Britain. He told BBC Radio 4'S Today programme normal protocol is that
asylum seekers apply to stay in the first safe country they reach.
"France used to take this very seriously. When I was home secretary, which
was quite a long time ago now, we had an agreement with France under which
if people came to the UK from France and claimed asylum we returned them to
France and France dealt with their claim," he said. "That is what really
ought to happen."
Received on Sun Sep 07 2014 - 06:01:28 EDT