ChatterBank2 mins ago
Just what are they doing there, then?
The Mayor of Calais, Natasha Bouchart suggests that the UK is to blame for her town playing host to hoards of foreigners sleeping rough. She says they use the town as a staging post in their attempts to cross the Channel, and blames the UK's generous benefits culture which, she says, is attracting them.
Predictably, the Rt. Hon. Phil Woolas, MP, the Immigration Minister has a different view. He says that those sleeping rough in Calais are "...not queuing to get to Britain, but have been kept out by one of the most rigorous border control systems in the world".
Is this but another example of a government minister refusing to accept the blindingly obvious? Or is Mr Woolas correct? And if he is, just what are upwards of two thousand souls living in the most squalid conditions in and around Calais doing there?
Predictably, the Rt. Hon. Phil Woolas, MP, the Immigration Minister has a different view. He says that those sleeping rough in Calais are "...not queuing to get to Britain, but have been kept out by one of the most rigorous border control systems in the world".
Is this but another example of a government minister refusing to accept the blindingly obvious? Or is Mr Woolas correct? And if he is, just what are upwards of two thousand souls living in the most squalid conditions in and around Calais doing there?
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this beggars belief NJ, they are there in her little town, send them back the other way toward Italy preferably! we don't want them, but indirectle the woman is correct, about our benefit system, I wonder if they would still want to cross if they couldn't claim a house and benefits for say, 3 years, but then we would have a gypsy camp in every town, this bl00dy goverment and it's Ministers are failing their own people in favour of every benefit scrounger in the land wether they are already here or sitting waitng to get here
The Mayor of Calais, Natasha Bouchart, should stop blaming us. Although she is partly right, our government has made it too cushy for other people. We need to make it so that there are no benefits for those who come here. At least look after the British people first.
Joy is right, send them back where they came from.
Joy is right, send them back where they came from.
She's right about us being a soft touch, however the main problem occurs with the wole EU not obeying it's own rules. This is the one rule might actually help us and we don't use it. The EU regs are quite clear, an asylum seeker must apply in the first safe country, tada problem solved, that is hardky ever UK and not iften France either so everyone abey our own rules, no more Calais. Sorted, Geezer for EU President!
Predictably, the Rt. Hon. Phil Woolas, MP, the Immigration Minister has a different view. He says that those sleeping rough in Calais are "...not queuing to get to Britain, but have been kept out by one of the most rigorous border control systems in the world".
I don't understand? Is he moaning about this? or saying to her 'make your boarder laxs and you won't have this problem?
Either way they are both right. and neither is wrong.
We DO have a benefit system too generious so they flock to Calais. They then get stuck there because of this over indulgant government.
The only way for this to end is (for Calais at least) either get rid of the boarder patrol and let them come in the minute they arrive or stop the benefits.
No boarder patrol = no shanty town, no benifits = no need for the shanty town.
I don't understand? Is he moaning about this? or saying to her 'make your boarder laxs and you won't have this problem?
Either way they are both right. and neither is wrong.
We DO have a benefit system too generious so they flock to Calais. They then get stuck there because of this over indulgant government.
The only way for this to end is (for Calais at least) either get rid of the boarder patrol and let them come in the minute they arrive or stop the benefits.
No boarder patrol = no shanty town, no benifits = no need for the shanty town.
I didn't think illegal immigrants could claim benefits, so how does a generous benefit sytem actually help these people. I think its more the prospect of work without bureaucratic interference that tempts them. Try working in France, it is a nightmare of regulations for everyone. We have a far more efficient 'black economy'. Whether that's a good thing or not depends on your attitude to cheap labour
It�s an admirable idea, geezer, and one we�ve debated before.
Unfortunately, these lost souls arrive in France from all over the world, and many of them are deliberately sans papiers. They refuse to state their country of origin, so it is not possible to �send them back� because nobody knows where they came from.
Unfortunately, these lost souls arrive in France from all over the world, and many of them are deliberately sans papiers. They refuse to state their country of origin, so it is not possible to �send them back� because nobody knows where they came from.
They most know where the plane/train/boat came from? Even France has some sort of broder control. If they drift over the border from whereever then ok they are stuck in France, they still won't end up here if we apply the rules. When they arrive in Britain we know where they cam from and that is 99.999% EU, back they go!
Don�t get me wrong, geezer, I quite agree. Furthermore, we definitely know where they came from when they land here in the back of a lorry.
The problem is we don�t have the willpower to send them back to France.
On a wider note, my main concern is that Mr Woolas is convinced that, because we have kept those still in Calais out thus far, he is correct in his assertion that they are not queuing to get to the UK.
Any interview with any of them in Calais (and indeed elsewhere) demonstrates that this is patently absurd. Their one aim, dream, aspiration, ambition, call it what you will, is to reach the UK. If Mr Woolas cannot or will not accept that (and the reasons behind it), he is perhaps not the right person for the job.
The problem is we don�t have the willpower to send them back to France.
On a wider note, my main concern is that Mr Woolas is convinced that, because we have kept those still in Calais out thus far, he is correct in his assertion that they are not queuing to get to the UK.
Any interview with any of them in Calais (and indeed elsewhere) demonstrates that this is patently absurd. Their one aim, dream, aspiration, ambition, call it what you will, is to reach the UK. If Mr Woolas cannot or will not accept that (and the reasons behind it), he is perhaps not the right person for the job.
I stand corrected (as usual) but is it not incumbent on "asylum seekers" to try to gain shelter and succour at the FIRST so-called civilised country they reach instead of travelling all the way through who knows how many other democracies until they eventually arrive in......mmmmmmmhhhhhhhh.......pfffffffffffffff........ehhhhhhh........nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn........ahhhhhhhhhhh......ohhhhhhhhh.........what's the name of that place, again??? (think, man, think!)....dohhhh........OH, I KNOW !!....IT's THE U.K. !!!
>What this country needs is a point system like Australia
>so stupid people don't come in and ruin everything
This only works for people arriving in your country openly and legally.
What about the thousands that come here hidden in the back of a lorry.
All the "points checking" in the world wont help then.
Like these guys from just a few days ago
http://tinyurl.com/dc4rdo
>so stupid people don't come in and ruin everything
This only works for people arriving in your country openly and legally.
What about the thousands that come here hidden in the back of a lorry.
All the "points checking" in the world wont help then.
Like these guys from just a few days ago
http://tinyurl.com/dc4rdo
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