France and Britain need a showdown over Channel migrants because of Britain’s lax approach to black market work, the mayor of Calais has said, after at least 12 migrants died on Tuesday when their crammed dinghy sank. The Telegraph has the story.
Natacha Bouchart accused Britain of being “hypocritical” over the surge in crossings when illegal migrants were being drawn to Britain because it was seen as an “El Dorado” due to its lax approach to black market work.
She said France would have to confront Britain over it if they were to stop Channel crossings which saw at least 12 migrants die on Tuesday when their dinghy, crammed with some 65 people, broke up and sank three miles off the French coast.
Ten of the 12 dead were women including one who was pregnant and six were “minors”. Most are thought to be from Eritrea. Only eight of the 65 were wearing lifejackets.
Gerald Darmanin, the French Interior Minister, who has also criticised the U.K.’s lax labour laws for fuelling the crossings, called for a new treaty that would allow migrants to claim asylum in the U.K. from the EU.
“We’re suffering from this hypocrisy,” said Ms. Bouchart, referring to labour legislation in England and the existence of numerous British smugglers.
“At some point, we’re going to have to have a showdown with this Government” to avoid “in 50 years’ time (being) still at the same level, with people wanting to go to England because it continues to be an El Dorado,” she added.
Didier Leschi, Director of the French Office of Immigration and Integration (Ofii), said: “The issue for England is to have an internal system that appears to be an El Dorado – and probably wrongly so – since it’s a country where you can work very easily without having a residence permit.”
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