This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/24/calais-britain-send-more-security-assistance-cameron
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Calais: Britain willing to send more security assistance, says Cameron | Calais: Britain willing to send more security assistance, says Cameron |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| David Cameron has moved to ease tensions with France over the migrant crisis in Calais, calling for an end to the finger-pointing over who is to blame and signalling that Britain is prepared to contribute more resources if necessary. | David Cameron has moved to ease tensions with France over the migrant crisis in Calais, calling for an end to the finger-pointing over who is to blame and signalling that Britain is prepared to contribute more resources if necessary. |
| The UK prime minister described the “totally unacceptable scenes” after migrants took the opportunity of a strike by French ferry workers to try to board lorries bound for the UK. | The UK prime minister described the “totally unacceptable scenes” after migrants took the opportunity of a strike by French ferry workers to try to board lorries bound for the UK. |
| Asked what the UK was planning to do about the crisis, Cameron said Britain must work more closely with the French, tackle the peoplesmuggling gangs in north Africa and do more to make Britain a less attractive place for migrants. | |
| The mayor of Calais, Natacha Bouchart, told French radio on Tuesday that Britain had “not offered a penny” to assist the authorities in Calais to ease the pressure caused by the increasing numbers of migrants arriving in the town as they attempt to travel to Britain. | The mayor of Calais, Natacha Bouchart, told French radio on Tuesday that Britain had “not offered a penny” to assist the authorities in Calais to ease the pressure caused by the increasing numbers of migrants arriving in the town as they attempt to travel to Britain. |
| But Cameron, speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, struck a conciliatory tone. “There is no point in either side trying to point the finger of blame at each other. This is a strong partnership that we have in place and we should keep it that way,” he said. | But Cameron, speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, struck a conciliatory tone. “There is no point in either side trying to point the finger of blame at each other. This is a strong partnership that we have in place and we should keep it that way,” he said. |
| He said the UK would provide more security assistance to French authorities if necessary, including sending more personnel and sniffer-dog teams. He also said more needed to be done with other EU countries to prevent migrants from attempting the journey to Europe in the first place. “Thirdly, we’ve got to do more to make sure Britain is a less easy place for illegal migrants to come to and work in. That’s what our immigration bill is all about,” he added. | He said the UK would provide more security assistance to French authorities if necessary, including sending more personnel and sniffer-dog teams. He also said more needed to be done with other EU countries to prevent migrants from attempting the journey to Europe in the first place. “Thirdly, we’ve got to do more to make sure Britain is a less easy place for illegal migrants to come to and work in. That’s what our immigration bill is all about,” he added. |
| James Brokenshire, the immigration minister, had earlier been more defensive about the UK’s role, saying it was ultimately up to the French to police their own soil. | James Brokenshire, the immigration minister, had earlier been more defensive about the UK’s role, saying it was ultimately up to the French to police their own soil. |
| The home secretary, Theresa May, said British and French authorities had stopped “significant numbers” of migrants climbing aboard lorries in Calais and entering the UK in the last two days. | The home secretary, Theresa May, said British and French authorities had stopped “significant numbers” of migrants climbing aboard lorries in Calais and entering the UK in the last two days. |
| She said the UK border force had put in place “tried and tested” contingency plans to deal with chaotic scenes that led to the Channel tunnel being closed. | She said the UK border force had put in place “tried and tested” contingency plans to deal with chaotic scenes that led to the Channel tunnel being closed. |
| Sir Peter Ricketts, the British ambassador to France, said the UK had already offered more assistance. “We have put €15m (£10.6m) on the table to improve security and movement at the port, with the installing of barriers, he told La Voix du Nord newspaper. | |
| “In response to a request by the French authorities, there is now direct communication between our officials and migrants to explain to them that there is no El Dorado there [in the UK]. | “In response to a request by the French authorities, there is now direct communication between our officials and migrants to explain to them that there is no El Dorado there [in the UK]. |
| We have made it hard to get benefits and there’s a planned law against illegal work, which will allow for the salary of a worker in this situation to be seized.” | |
| The heightened diplomatic tension came amid disruption caused by striking employees of French firm MyFerryLink, whose industrial action forced the closure of the Channel tunnel and led to the cancellation of train and ferry services. | The heightened diplomatic tension came amid disruption caused by striking employees of French firm MyFerryLink, whose industrial action forced the closure of the Channel tunnel and led to the cancellation of train and ferry services. |
| Travel chaos was subsiding on Wednesday as cross-Channel services resumed but authorities in Calais continued to grapple with desperate migrants seeking to take advantage of the disruption. | Travel chaos was subsiding on Wednesday as cross-Channel services resumed but authorities in Calais continued to grapple with desperate migrants seeking to take advantage of the disruption. |
| One group of young men – some as young as 15 – were chased away by a lorry driver as they tried to break in his truck. “This is terrible, worse than it’s ever been,” said the driver from Poland as the queue inched forward. “It has been like this all night, it has been very difficult.” | One group of young men – some as young as 15 – were chased away by a lorry driver as they tried to break in his truck. “This is terrible, worse than it’s ever been,” said the driver from Poland as the queue inched forward. “It has been like this all night, it has been very difficult.” |
| Another migrant managed to break the cord on the back of a nearby truck and was trying to clamber on board before he was confronted by the French driver. Neither man wanted to talk. | Another migrant managed to break the cord on the back of a nearby truck and was trying to clamber on board before he was confronted by the French driver. Neither man wanted to talk. |
| A 17-year-old Eritrean man sitting by the side of the motorway slip road said he and his friends had been up all night trying to get into lorries bound for the UK. “Many people have been trying but it is very difficult. We are very tired now.” | A 17-year-old Eritrean man sitting by the side of the motorway slip road said he and his friends had been up all night trying to get into lorries bound for the UK. “Many people have been trying but it is very difficult. We are very tired now.” |
| Emmanuel Agius, a deputy at Calais town hall, claimed that the British PM was in danger of sparking a diplomatic incident. “David Cameron says he does not want these migrants, he doesn’t want to take responsibility but the UK is part of the EU and it cannot continue to try and play two roles,” he said. | |
| “It is not acceptable to say: ‘We are insular, we are an island and we will only be part of Europe how and when we want – you Europeans just deal with it’. That is too easy. If he continues to speak in that way then he is in danger of creating a diplomatic incident. | |
| For there to be a lasting solution to the crisis Europe had to work together, and that included the UK, he added. | |
| “If the UK and Mr Cameron want to leave Europe, then at least the situation would be clear and precise and in that case the British could have their border back in the UK instead of here in Calais,” he said. | |
| Agius said migrants have “one idea in their heads and that is to cross the 30km to Dover for a better life in the UK”. He said the UK “needs to stop ignoring that reality and take responsibility”. | |
| More resources will be put into screening arrivals at Dover, Brokenshire said, adding that extra French police officers were being deployed in Calais to deal with the problem. | More resources will be put into screening arrivals at Dover, Brokenshire said, adding that extra French police officers were being deployed in Calais to deal with the problem. |
| He said: “We are putting additional resourcing into the port of Dover to enhance screenings and detections there so that we’re looking at this on both sides of the Channel.” | He said: “We are putting additional resourcing into the port of Dover to enhance screenings and detections there so that we’re looking at this on both sides of the Channel.” |
| He added: “We have been advised that the French authorities are sending further policing to deal with law and order issues, and we will be keeping in close contact with them in the hours ahead.” | He added: “We have been advised that the French authorities are sending further policing to deal with law and order issues, and we will be keeping in close contact with them in the hours ahead.” |
| Additional reporting by Kim Willsher in Paris | Additional reporting by Kim Willsher in Paris |