Call for British troops to go to Calais

[Frederick]

I can see the French being really embarrased if it comes down to needing our troops to go and deal with the thousands of immigrants rushing the tunnel in Calais to get to the UK and be based on French soil .. It will seem the French are not capable of dealing with the problem themselves and now with UK holiday makers being told to avoid Calais it certainly appears that way

After sending our troops there twice to deal with invaders the press will have fun with the headlines that will go world wide .

[woolybanana]

How about a compromise; let's send a couple of companies of Gurkhas? That should clear the area in about ten minutes and send the little ruggers scurring back to the other side of the Med in double quick time.

Doubtless Mr Hollande would send a squad of social workers as he can't send the CRS who have recently refused to leave barracks to back the heightened threat of terrorism on the streets.

[idun]

 The brave CRS, they much prefer to take their matraques on french people on their peaceful manif's, especially the young![:@] Much easier than those who may fight back!

Yes, send in the troops, bloody Hollande, what a wimp.

[EuroTrash]

I think they'd be grateful, not embarrassed. They've been saying for long enough that it's the UK's problem, France doesn't have infinite resources to devote to it and doesn't see why it should find them, the UK should be doing more.

The only reason France is suffering is because they have the misfortune to share a border with Britain. If Spain happened to be across the Channel, or Italy, they would be the ones in the firing line. Would that legitimately make it Spain's responsibility, or Italy's responsibility? Why? The common denominator would be the proximity to Britain, that's where the problem lies. QED.

[Mac]

But if they are asylum seekers shouldn't they request asylum in the first safe country they come to? If France,Spain, Italy ,Greece et al decide not to enforce this but allow them to travel aross their countries to get to Calais-why is that the UK's fault? That's like saying it's my fault I get burgled because I have a better TV than the theif.

[Frederick]

Euro Trash wrote :France doesn't have infinite resources to devote to it and doesn't see why it should find them, the UK should be doing more.

In other words you are saying "France is Broke " it is financially down on her uppers ....it cant deal with its own internal problems.... its a failed state that in times of trouble has to shift her problems onto others to see them resolved for her The UK has even had to offer France money .....which she has taken .... to do the job of controlling her borders properly......nothing to be proud of there IMO

[Chancer]

Frederick, is this anything tangible or your imagination?

You may consider that they "need" the British troops but they would have to "want" them and request assistance.

As Hollande seems to be firmly on the side of the strikers I cant ever see it happening in case one of the poor delicate darlings were to be traumatised.

[EuroTrash]

What a bizarre post by Frederick.

Of course France is pretty broke, I don't think that's any great secret. I wouldn't call it a failed state exactly, as in Greece.

The only reason it has this particular problem on its soil is because of Britain, so how can it be an internal problem of France? No French people are involved, apart from being inconvenienced. If Britain were to float off a few hundred miles to the east, then the problem would go with it. That's how closely tied to France it is.

Have you actually been there and seen the situation for yourself, Frederick? The whole area is crawling with migrants. They pop out of the bushes by the roadside with suitcases in their hands. A lot of them are kids of 14 and 15. They look lost and bewildered and thin and desperate. They get ill, they get hurt, it's rare to go to A&E at Calais hospital without seeing a few of them in there. The only thing that's scary about them is the sheer number of them and their sheer single-mindedness to get to Britain. As individual human beings it's hard not to feel sorry for them and exasperated with them at the same time.

The problem can't be solved by force, no matter how many gendarmes or British soldiers you throw at it. It can only be solved politically, by removing the magnet that attracts them to Britain, and France can't do that. Only Britain is in a position to do that, and I know it's not easy but in 10 years or however long this has been going on, it's made no progress whatsoever.

I have to say, looking at recent posts on the forum today I'm wondering where all the francophobia is coming from suddenly. The only interest people seem to have in whatever issue is raised, is seizing on the aspects they can use to bash France and ignoring every other aspect.

[Frederick]

Euro Trash wrote :

If Britain were to float off a few hundred miles to the east, then the problem would go with it.

Thats the answer is it ?

How inconvienent for France it is to have the UK so close and connected by a train link. We all know the Mayor of Calais wants the border in Dover so she can ship the lot over And the more she sees get out of her town illegally before winter arrives no doubt the better she feels .

When thousands more immigrants decend on her town this summer and the train services become impossible to run as the security of the border cant or wont be maintained by France and the tunnel has to be shut . What happens then ?

And its this bloke who is calling for the army to be used .

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/nigel-farage-says-army-should-be-sent-in-to-deal-with-calais-migrant-crisis-10423380.html

[EuroTrash]

Yes it is very inconvenient. I doubt any state in mainland Europe would choose to swap places with France and have Britain as a next door neighbour and inherit this problem - talk about neighbours from hell. And what's wrong with having the UK border at Dover, seems logical enough.

If Calais does stop running trains and ferries (which I doubt), I expect the problem will shunt along to Dunkerque. Then if Dunkerque stops ferries too, it'll shift to Ostend and France will be off the hook.

PS I wish you'd start calling the island opposite France Britain, not the UK. Ireland has nothing to do with it.

[Hoddy]

In the UK 14 and 15 year olds would be taken into care as minors.

[Gardengirl]

That's so, Hoddy.

Two Belgian couples who were staying overnight at the same B&b as us on our way north to England were very shocked at all the problems in Calais, and very surprised that people weren't heading for Belgium, which they said has extremely good benefits available too.

[mint]

I agree with Eurotrash that the border should be moved to Dover.

But then, with Theresa May as Home Secretary and all the "lost in the system" illegals that have proliferated during her watch, perhaps that might not be such a good idea?

[NickP]

So Eurotrash, what the French are doing on the Italian border is OK, but not alright for the UK to defend it's borders. Your rant is absolute rollocks, no one is being anti French that's in your vivid imagination. Your remarks about Ireland says where your coming from.

[suein56]

[quote user="Frederick"]Thats the answer is it ?

How inconvienent for France it is to have the UK so close and connected by a train link.[/quote]

The problem, as I see it for France, is simply the fact that all these 2000+ would-be-immigrants-to-the-UK have rejected totally the idea of remaining in France (or even Belgium as has been suggested).

Even though, to conform with EU rules and regs, these people would be supported in France in their attempts to have a better life than the one that they have left behind.

But this, seemingly, is not enough.

Therein, in my view, lies the inconsistency which is causing most of the problems we see on TV and read about in the press.

I have no answer as it might be the fault of the people who take loads of cash and peddle loads of lies about where these poor, downtrodden masses should seek peace, calm and a 'place to be'.

Sue 

[Rabbie]

[quote user="EuroTrash"]PS I wish you'd start calling the island opposite France Britain, not the UK. Ireland has nothing to do with it.[/quote]Pedants Corner. The island opposite France is actually Great Britain or Britain for short. Ireland is a separate island. That's why the full name of the UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. You would have had a point if some had said "The British Isles" because that does include Ireland.

[NickP]

I've just thought of a use for "Boris's" water cannon that the Met police aren't allowed to use. Tin hat on, head down as the PC mob howl in rage.

[EuroTrash]

I'm not ranting in particular (you should see me when I do) and I don't claim to have any answers. I don't think I have a particularly vivid imagination either. I just happen to think that Frederick is talking rollocks about France being 'embarrassed' if the UK nobly helps clear up its own 5hit on its own doorstep. And all that about "In other words you are saying "France is Broke " it is financially down on her uppers ....it cant deal with its own internal problems.... its a failed state" - oops silly me, how could anybody possibly interpret Frederick's little rants as being anti French.

As regards the Italian border, that's a different problm, but the whole issue here is that the UK is NOT defending its borders.

I'll leave you guys to it now, thanks for the stimulating exchange.

[NickP]

The only thing stimulating is your bias.

[Frederick]

The question keeps on being asked here " Why do they not seek help from Greece or Italy or France when its there to be claimed . Why must they risk all to get to the UK ?

I assume many will have a UK contact address to reach where they will be thereafter handled in a way that means they will housed and put to work to be able pay back their loans to those who financed their move. Only available to them in the UK

[andyh4]

From the various interviews  of  potential refugees across Europe who are heading for or intending to head for the UK, there seems to be a universal belief that when they get to London, they will get a job straight away and will become rich. 

This seems to be an urban worldwide myth to challenge "the sun always shines in France and we never get snow".  You tell folk it isn't so but they don't believe it.

 

If the myth can somehow be broken, then perhaps so can the stream of would-be refugees.

[lindal1000]

Wasn't it ever thus? I believe Dick Whittington was led to believe that the streets of London were paved in gold.

Those that get through illegally may have contacts that will get them some illegal work and a spot in multi occupancy squat, but any contact with anyone in authority places them at risk of arrest and deportation. Their only other option is to claim political asylum when they set foot on British soil. That will mean a stay in a 'holding centre' until their case is decided. Both options seem pretty grim to me and a far cry from the 'free accommodation, benefits for all and easy jobs' that they are led to believe await them.

[Frederick]

There is a way back onto North African soil I imagine would be quite easy to use if the EU ever decided to use it as a way of returning people back over the Med .

The immigrants who have destroyed their ID and refuse to say where they are from could be detained flown to Southern Spain and then to her North African land of Ceuta and put them through the gate into Morocco .. Start with a few military flights down there full of railway tresspassers and well publicised might just keep them of the tracks in Calais if they knew that was their fate .

[Rabbie]

Nice idea, Frederick. But under international law Morocco would be entitled to return them to Spanish territory as illegal immigrants. Not sure Spain would be so keen on the idea then

[Racerbear02]

[:(]The whole Calais situation could be solved very easily by the French.

If they told the UK government to remove the UK border control posts and checks from  Calais and back  to Dover, there would be some serious problem solving going on in Whitehall very quickly.

Last time I came through Calais 3 weeks ago, the French  checks were very slow and methodical, if they decided to remove them, Dover would soon be utter chaos.

**Update**

Perhaps I was correct  The frustrated mayor of the port city of Calais says France

should open its border with the UK if British Prime Minister David

Cameron doesn't fully commit to solving the city's migration crisis.