Let Us Hope That A Strong New Conservative Government Will Now Address This Problem?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3073819/French-riot-police-use-tear-gas-suppress-300-migrants-try-storm-lorries-bound-UK-Calais.html

If only we could send them back to their own countries as easily as it is for Turkey to send our wayward citizens who head for Syria, back to the UK?

[bhg481]

I think we might just have been a bit grateful for them helping us out in the war, as well.

[mushroom25]

that's a myth that keeps coming up Sandy - Enoch wasn't even an MP when the Empire Windrush sailed.

[anotheoldgit]

sandyRoe

/// Didn't Enoch look to the West Indies for people to work in the NHS and in London Transport? ///

Maybe he did, but how many Bus Drivers and Health Workers did we need?

[anotheoldgit]

bhg481

/// I think we might just have been a bit grateful for them helping us out in the war, as well. ///

I do not deny the valuable aid sacrifice they gave and made towards achieving victory in WW2.

But it should not be forgotten that this was a 'World War' and defeat would have affected the freedom and well being of the populations of all those countries that fought side by side with us, so as to gain the freedom that most of us have today.

[jourdain2]

I'm just glad that we're not trying to cross from Calais today. It must be a nightmare for the people who live there. One friend now travels to Dieppe to cross (he has a van and runs a small transporting business) and he says that commercial fares have shot up on ferries which are a safe distance from Calais.

If France does change the border to Dover, I suggest that we have ships waiting and ferry migrants back to the toe of Italy - or wherever they entered Europe.

[New Judge]

"Police Union spokesman for the Calais region Johann Cavallero said: 'We are being overrun by waves of migrants numbering between two and three hundred at times'."

As I have been saying for some time, this is nothing short of an invasion and it needs to be treated as such. Plucking people out of the drink off the coast of north Africa and ferrying them aboard warships to southern Europe will not tackle it.

“if the french government ends their involvement in the Le Touquet treaty, it doesn't matter how strong any flavour of government is - the UK border will revert to Dover, giving migrants free passage across the channel and the legitimate opportunity to claim asylum on UK soil.”

Not so, mushroom. The government has made it clear (though actions speak louder than words, of course) that should this happen security at Dover will be enhanced and any stowaways found there will be returned forthwith to France. Such asylum seekers do not have the legitimate opportunity to claim asylum in the UK. In fact, by failing to apply for asylum in the first safe country they arrive in they forfeit their right to claim asylum entirely as that right is dependent upon making a claim as soon as possible. (Language and culture play no part in the definition of “safe”).

This, of course, leaves aside the fact that the majority of those coming from Africa are not asylum seekers but economic migrants. Many of them pay huge fees for their illegal passage and could pay for an air ticket for much less. But of course they know that their application to arrive would not be granted if it were made before they left.

If the rest of the EU wants to ponce about with this problem that’s their affair. What the southern states should be doing is repelling this invasion to prevent illegal entries. If they cannot or will not do that it is hardly fair to suggest that the rest of the EU should take its “fair share” of the burden they have failed to repel. It's unfortunate that Italy is closest to north Africa but that's hardly

[New Judge]

...any fault of the UK

[Orderlimit]

^ that makes it sound like none of this was ever thought through properly in the first place :)

[mushroom25]

unless this can be eliminated
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/08/people-smugglers-using-facebook-to-lure-migrants-into-italy-trips
there's no chance of stemming the tide. rescuing these people from their "immigration passages" when they crash or sink isn't a sustainable option. europe may well have to accept the inevitable and provide a safe and affordable alternative - even if that means an open door.

[naomi24]

mushroom25, //europe may well have to accept the inevitable and provide a safe and affordable alternative - even if that means an open door. //

But where does that end? Or doesn't it?

[New Judge]

"europe may well have to accept the inevitable and provide a safe and affordable alternative "

Er.... no. When a nation or continent is under threat of invasion force must be used to repel the invaders. You do not rescue them and provide them safe passage to your shores. The time has come for Europe to move away from a "humanitarian" exercise towards a defensive approach which will protect the continent from invasion.

It doesn't matter what technology the people smugglers are using to ply their trade. These people are invading southern Europe and European governments have a duty to protect their citizens from this invasion. It's time for the shilly-shallying to stop and some firm measures taken to repel the boarders.

[mushroom25]

agreed NJ.

however, everybody knows that the type of measure required for an effective end to this, will result in deaths directly attributable to those measures. there isn't a government in Europe currently that would sanction it. and so it goes on.

[Gromit]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Welcome back Retrocop.

[mushroom25]

this morning, proposals to be discussed by the EU shortly, together with their migration policy (to be announced wednesday) have been released.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32685942

these include a quota of migrants for EU countries to accept, plus a legal means for migrants to cross the med.

[New Judge]

For economic migrants (which the vast majority of these people are) there is already a legal means of reaching Europe. They apply for a visa before they leave and, if it is granted, travel via the recognised routes. Of course there is always the (very good) chance that their request for a visa will be denied. So they take the other option and end up being plucked from the drink and given safe passage to Sicily or wherever.

For genuine asylum seekers the rules are plain. They should present themselves to the authorities in the first safe haven they arrive. The problem here is that because of the EU’s Schengen Agreement (I’ll still, for the moment, l resist the urge to label it “ridiculous” for fear of the repeat of castigation I received in the past) once they are in Italy they have the freedom to roam all over the continent and that’s why the situation that prevails in Calais arises.

I will revert to my earlier mantra: Europe is being invaded. The invaders may not have guns and tanks but their long term influence on Europe will be every bit as profound as if they did. And you don’t “redistribute” people who invade your country.

[ludwig]

// l resist the urge to label it “ridiculous” for fear of the repeat of castigation //

It wasn't a castigation NJ, simply an observation. I wish you'd start doing it again.

[New Judge]

I'll see what I can do, ludwig! :-)