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/illegal-migrants-enter-uk-via-heathrow-visa-not-lorry

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Majority of illegal migrants enter UK via Heathrow on a visa, not on a lorry Majority of illegal migrants enter UK via Heathrow on a visa, not on a lorry
(35 minutes later)
The shocking television footage of desperate asylum seekers and others trying to jump on the slow-moving, queueing lorries on the approach roads at Calais were a sharp reminder of the scenes 15 years ago when the tabloids, daily in the grip of invasion panic, complained of “illegals flooding Calais” in their efforts to come to “soft-touch Britain”.The shocking television footage of desperate asylum seekers and others trying to jump on the slow-moving, queueing lorries on the approach roads at Calais were a sharp reminder of the scenes 15 years ago when the tabloids, daily in the grip of invasion panic, complained of “illegals flooding Calais” in their efforts to come to “soft-touch Britain”.
In fact, the migrants are just one element in the chaos created by striking French port workers that will fade once Calais gets back to normal. The home secretary reassured MPs that contingency plans had kicked in to ensure that there had been no mass break-into Britain. In fact, the migrants are just one element in the chaos created by striking French port workers that will fade once Calais gets back to normal. The home secretary reassured MPs that contingency plans had kicked in to ensure that there had been no mass break-in to Britain.
The numbers of those trying to cross the Channel from Calais fluctuate according to the international situation, and with the largest refugee crisis since the second world war currently playing itself out across the Mediterranean, in north Africa and in the Middle East, it is not surprising that more than a few thousand have gathered in the port.The numbers of those trying to cross the Channel from Calais fluctuate according to the international situation, and with the largest refugee crisis since the second world war currently playing itself out across the Mediterranean, in north Africa and in the Middle East, it is not surprising that more than a few thousand have gathered in the port.
Millions have already been spent on building bigger fences at Calais to ensure that the port does not become a backdoor, or indeed a front door, for illegal entrants into Britain. Millions have already been spent on building bigger fences at Calais to ensure that the port does not become a back door, or indeed a front door, for illegal entrants into Britain.
But the truth is that the vast majority of illegal migrants in Britain are not smuggled across the Channel in the back of a lorry, but enter Britain perfectly legally through the front door on a plane through Heathrow on a visa. If you want to tackle the problem of illegal immigration, then better to tackle those overstayers than the few thousand who might make it across the Channel each year.But the truth is that the vast majority of illegal migrants in Britain are not smuggled across the Channel in the back of a lorry, but enter Britain perfectly legally through the front door on a plane through Heathrow on a visa. If you want to tackle the problem of illegal immigration, then better to tackle those overstayers than the few thousand who might make it across the Channel each year.
Anyway many of those in Calais are asylum seekers who have fled from countries such as Syria, Eritrea and Afghanistan. Some will have come direct from Italy or Greece having made it across the Mediterranean.Anyway many of those in Calais are asylum seekers who have fled from countries such as Syria, Eritrea and Afghanistan. Some will have come direct from Italy or Greece having made it across the Mediterranean.
Theresa May is right that the root cause lies in the Mediterranean migrant crisis. This week’s EU summit will see the European Union agreeing a programme to share responsibility for just 60,000 migrants and refugees over the next two years. There are already more than 1.7 million Syrian refugees in Turkey alone. The United Nations has said in the face of this crisis, the European Union could easily take one million refugees.Theresa May is right that the root cause lies in the Mediterranean migrant crisis. This week’s EU summit will see the European Union agreeing a programme to share responsibility for just 60,000 migrants and refugees over the next two years. There are already more than 1.7 million Syrian refugees in Turkey alone. The United Nations has said in the face of this crisis, the European Union could easily take one million refugees.
All 28 EU countries will agree to take some refugees under this scheme, but the numbers fall far short of the numbers in need of international protection. Britain last Friday dropped its reluctance to take any at all and said it would resettle a few hundred more Syrians.All 28 EU countries will agree to take some refugees under this scheme, but the numbers fall far short of the numbers in need of international protection. Britain last Friday dropped its reluctance to take any at all and said it would resettle a few hundred more Syrians.
The replacement of the former flagship, HMS Bulwark, by the small survey ship, HMS Enterprise, this week means that Britain has also scaled back to almost next to nothing its contribution to the EU humanitarian effort to save the lives of those trying to cross the Mediterranean.The replacement of the former flagship, HMS Bulwark, by the small survey ship, HMS Enterprise, this week means that Britain has also scaled back to almost next to nothing its contribution to the EU humanitarian effort to save the lives of those trying to cross the Mediterranean.
The home secretary says she wants to break the linkbetween getting into the boats and reaching Europe. HMS Enterprise is to take part in an eight-strong EU naval fleet to target the smugglers’ boats. This will be backed by a new taskforce of intelligence, policing and asylum experts to smash the people trafficking networks. The home secretary says she wants to break the linkbetween getting into the boats and reaching Europe. HMS Enterprise is to take part in an eight-strong EU naval fleet to target the smugglers’ boats. This will be backed by a new taskforce of intelligence, policing and asylum experts to smash the people smuggling networks.
The EU summit this week will agree a timetable for the new force to seize their boats with a possible military operation to destroy them in time if the Libyans’ consent is ever obtained. Events are moving rapidly in the face of this refugee crisis, and the British and European response is equally rapidly moving from humanitarian solutions, based on international protection, to declaring a war on traffickers based on military solutions.The EU summit this week will agree a timetable for the new force to seize their boats with a possible military operation to destroy them in time if the Libyans’ consent is ever obtained. Events are moving rapidly in the face of this refugee crisis, and the British and European response is equally rapidly moving from humanitarian solutions, based on international protection, to declaring a war on traffickers based on military solutions.