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So much for controlling immigration!

(132 Posts)
notentirelyallhere Wed 11-Sept-19 17:56:58

Sorry, hot potato, can't resist posting nevertheless :

Record number of migrants cross Channel to UK in single day

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/sep/11/record-number-of-migrants-cross-channel-to-uk-in-single-day?

1000+ so far this year apparently.

Smileless2012 Thu 12-Sept-19 22:18:03

It's impossible for us to comprehend M0nica but absthame wasn't referring to the Italian government she was referring to ours and thank God, we haven't behaved that way.

growstuff Thu 12-Sept-19 22:18:24

That's what's confusing me about some of these comments jura. It's not France's responsibility to stop people coming to the UK. They only do it because we're in the EU and UK border control is currently in Calais. After Brexit, people can get on a cross Channel ferry and the moment they land in the UK, they can apply for asylum.

jura2 Fri 13-Sept-19 09:50:16

Exactly growstuff. If anyone has ever been to Calais recently and stayed over for a day or two- s/he would know that 1000s of special force police, armed to the teeth, are permanently stationned in Calais- staying in local Hôtels- from all over France. They patrol night and day, non stop- armed, with dogs, and they are not your average copper, but CRS- highly trained and tough guys. There are layers upon layers of very high fences, dug deep into the ground, angled, with electric currents and several rows of razor wire ... then Border c hecks by both the French and the British, with specialised guards, dogs and equipment- checking cars, vans, lorries, etc, to stop immigrants crossing.

All that will go if we leave with No Deal - immigrants from all over the world know this - and are waiting for when it will be much much easier.

MaizieD Fri 13-Sept-19 10:05:08

^ It's not France's responsibility to stop people coming to the UK. They only do it because we're in the EU and UK border control is currently in Calais.^

I said this not long after the referendum result was known and have, from time to time, pointed it out since then. I'm glad that other people agree with me grin The French could buy them all ferry tickets once we've left the EU... much cheaper than intensive security at Calais... hmm

It has also been pointed out many times that a prime reason for these refugees wanting to come to the UK is that they have relatives or contacts here and that they speak English.

jura2 Fri 13-Sept-19 13:02:04

Little boats in the middle of the night will be going the other way this time - lucrative business for some.

Fennel Fri 13-Sept-19 13:06:07

As for Italy, I can understand their attitude. The southern tip has been the main point of entry from Africa for many years and they've been overwhelmed. They can't cope and there's been a lot of crime.

varian Fri 13-Sept-19 20:01:35

Italy and Greece have born the brunt of the influx of refugees and illegal immigrants crossing the Mediterranian and fortunately the other E U nations have supported them by admitting migrants.

Barmeyoldbat Fri 13-Sept-19 20:22:11

I can fully understand why anyone would want to leave their country which is at war. I have worked with immigrates by giving english lessons and have found them all to be friendly, hard working and just longing for peace.

We as a nation have been at war but have never been invaded and so we are not in a position to judge what we do in their circumstances.

absthame Sat 14-Sept-19 09:35:33

EU nations, including ours, have abdicated our responsibilities on this issue, by paying Greece and and Italy to do whatever dirty work needs doing to keep most from our shores, even at the cost of lives, including children and babies. But hey our hands are clean so it's ok is it not?

Chewbacca Sat 14-Sept-19 09:42:03

So what should be done absthame? How would you solve the problem?

JaneyG Sat 14-Sept-19 09:46:48

Just read this wonderful poem. Everyone should, thank you

JaneyG Sat 14-Sept-19 09:49:09

Home by Warsaw Shire. Sorry, new to posting

JaneyG Sat 14-Sept-19 09:49:28

Warsan.

absthame Sat 14-Sept-19 12:57:59

The first thing is to accept that with our economic system and the effects og global warming that there is going to be an increasing level of migration from areas that are becoming hospitable to life and that the pressures are going to lead to increasing levels of conflict. It is only when we accept the issues that we can start conversations to mitigate the issue.

The one certainty is that our present behavior is not solving anything it is simply making things worse.

absthame Sat 14-Sept-19 12:58:48

Sorry less hospitable

jura2 Fri 20-Sept-19 11:26:03

And now we have gangs of BF vigilantes patrolling the Kent Coasts at night. And no, not with water or blankets either.

Will they be able to restrain their behaviour- if they are the same as those we have seen active recently in our streets? I find this really disturbing sad

www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/far-right-group-patrols-beaches-for-migrants-212472/?fbclid=IwAR2nDBDRn8CvwBmdPZVPC5MqkDZA3pg-Bbq7NuaWwddEGQI_PXxyZNUdoFo

LondonGranny Fri 20-Sept-19 11:33:01

Two of my ancestors (a husband & pregnant wife) came over the channel in a tiny rowing boat to escape religious persecution in France. I wouldn't be here if they hadn't. The Huguenots enriched British life as most immigrants do. My FiL was a post-WW2 refugee as well. This country couldn't function without immigrants.

LondonGranny Fri 20-Sept-19 11:34:52

My FiL didn't row over the channel though. He'd been fighting with the Allies and got demobbed here.

LondonGranny Fri 20-Sept-19 11:41:23

Apologies if someone has already posted this.
I haven't time to read the whole thread, I'm literally about to leave the house and do the big weekly shop. When you've read it top to bottom, read it from bottom to top.

nationalpoetryday.co.uk/poem/refugees/

LondonGranny Mon 23-Sept-19 17:17:35

I don't think it's true to say Italy has borne the brunt of the refugee crisis. Jordan has over 4 million refugees and is three times smaller than Italy. Lebanon has also taken in over a million refugees.. It's only about the size of Devon & Cornwall It already was more densely populated than the West Country too.

Davidhs Mon 23-Sept-19 18:40:03

Let’s distinguish Economic Migrants from Assylum seekers

There are tens of millions of educated migrants would like to come to Britain and other western countries, just how many million per year would you like Britain to take?.
The population is already increasing by 250,000 per year.

Assylum is defined as a place of safety, not the country you choose to move to, refugees can be just as safe in Lebanon, or Jordan and if needed the UN or UK and others can help pay until it is safe for them to return to their place of origin.

So let’s have no more bleeding heart stories Britain is taking far too many and it has been Government policy to reduce this for years.

Chestnut Wed 25-Sept-19 23:53:45

It appears that quite a lot of leave voters thought that "leave" meant "all the foreigners mist leave the UK" and so a few days after the fraudulent referendum they were accosting their local Pakistani corner shop owner/ Sri Lankan GP/ French teacher/ Phillipina care worker/ saying "we voted leave so why have you not left yet?"

That is a disgusting statement Varian and what is your definition of 'quite a lot'? I would say 'a few' because there are obviously going to be some idiots. You have a seriously skewed idea of leave voters, and obviously think they are all thick racists.

We could of course counteract this by saying 'quite a lot' of remain voters thought that leaving the EU would affect their travel plans and add to the cost of their holidays. That is, if we thought all remain voters were shallow and superficial middle class people who don't want their travel plans disrupted.

growstuff Thu 26-Sept-19 00:25:13

The UK doesn't take millions of asylum seekers every year. According to the government's website, 37,453 applied last year and 20,000 were accepted, with some going to appeal.

A number of countries accept many more asylum seekers than the UK does.

Mamie Thu 26-Sept-19 05:39:40

If it were true that "they only do this because the border is in Calais" why do the migrants not get in through Ouistreham and Dieppe etc? There is a constant gendarme presence in and around these ports and I have personally witnessed the removal of migrants from the secure area in Ouistreham. I have also seen people turned away as foot passengers because they do not have the correct documents. It is nothing to do with juxtaposed controls. If you do not have the correct documents the French do not let you through.

Davidhs Thu 26-Sept-19 08:06:59

Asylum seekers don’t need to travel to the U.K. to be safe, they arrive on the U.K. because the want to settle here. Most of them arrive here as illegal immigrants on trucks or boats, then claim asylum, some are accepted as such, many are sent back.
The vast majority who want to move here are economic migrants, some have relatives here, some are temporary migrant workers. Together they number 250,000 each year we need them to keep many sectors running, but not as illegal immigrants.