Macron's state visit.

I watched a YouTube video of guy vlogging around different areas of Paris. He was interviewing the locals, not one of them had a good word to say about the problem of influx of people.
They said, crime had gone up ten fold, violence, Scamming,robbery & sex assaults.
Not one person said they were much better off for it.
I’ve been to Paris many years ago, I thought it was dirty, full of tents around the edge of the city. Copious amounts of graffiti daubed on beautiful architecture.
No, nowt romantic about the place. Must be even worse today.

I agree about the size of our country compared to France and others.

Where are they all supposed to live? We haven’t nearly enough houses as it is.

I think Macron selected the word "burden", describing the new arrivals, with great care and meaning. He is after all France's most literary President. A "burden" primarily in the financial sense, but also a huge responsibility that is likely to overwhelm both countries. I think Macron wants to slow down the massive influx to his country as much as the UK does to theirs.

If policing is wanted I think we should get French planning permission for a small base in Calais and man/police the operation ourselves.

I was being sarcastic lafergar

Mt61

Might as well just fly them in, as give these smugglers thousands!

Yes, great idea. Let's do that.

Might as well just fly them in, as give these smugglers thousands!

Maremia

Yes, logically, all this talk about the French should do this, the French should do that, to 'stop the boats'. If I was French, I would ask 'Pourquoi?'.

I’ll tell you why.
The huge numbers of immigrants pouring into France and across it to get to the coast and a small boat to the UK are having an effect on citizens there and the government in France would very much like it to stop.
They have to take in immigrants themselves and there are problems between them and the locals.
To those who say we don’t take as many as France does, two things, first we’re an island so not as easy to reach and we are a much much smaller country than France.

Maremia

Yes, logically, all this talk about the French should do this, the French should do that, to 'stop the boats'. If I was French, I would ask 'Pourquoi?'.

Exactly, if the boot were on the other foot would the UK police be employed to stop people leaving the beaches on the south coast to flee to France. 🤣
I know this is a serious subject of gangs profiteering on humans’ misery but if the UK set up offices in other countries for people to apply for asylum this problem may be solved before reaching the beaches.

Mamie

It was interesting to hear a Sky reporter yesterday that France aacepts far more migrants than the UK and also saying how much policing actually does go on, on the ground in France.
I certainly get that impression from watching French news and reading La Voix du Nord and Nord Littoral.
I do wonder if people perhaps have a bit of a distorted view from media in the UK?

I think not everybody in the UK wants to hear the truth Mamie, there is a blame everybody else culture unfortunately.

Mamie, I do believe you are on to something there.

It was interesting to hear a Sky reporter yesterday that France aacepts far more migrants than the UK and also saying how much policing actually does go on, on the ground in France.
I certainly get that impression from watching French news and reading La Voix du Nord and Nord Littoral.
I do wonder if people perhaps have a bit of a distorted view from media in the UK?

Yes, logically, all this talk about the French should do this, the French should do that, to 'stop the boats'. If I was French, I would ask 'Pourquoi?'.

What no one seems to be acknowledging is that France has absolutely no obligation to stop asylum seekers leaving its shores - indeed it would be acting against international law.

So the money we are paying them is going towards policing that they are not obliged to carry out. If we want more policing we must pay for it. If we don’t think we are getting value for money then I suggest we stop paying the French and deal with the asylum seekers ourselves once they reach our shores uninhibited by French police.

Oreo

Exactly petra this initiative does nothing for the numbers at all and I have a feeling that Macron is running rings round Starmer.
Even the loan of the tapestry is so the place it’s displayed in France is being done up, so the UK is a useful depository.

😆 yup!
There's nothing wrong with the place where it is currently being displayed. But France, being France, loves to "do up" places of interest and spend lots of money in the process. Just don't go walking outside the Bayeux tapestry museum, you risk getting hit on the head by cranes snd huge holes in the ground. (Very little Health and Safety either!)

I am all for negotiating with our close neighbours, not sure how this benefits the U.K.

France is going to be in receipt of more £’s also.

Exactly petra this initiative does nothing for the numbers at all and I have a feeling that Macron is running rings round Starmer.
Even the loan of the tapestry is so the place it’s displayed in France is being done up, so the UK is a useful depository.

Oreo

The one in one out isn’t going to help with the numbers of people coming on small boats, so I do hope some other ideas are being discussed other than us giving even more money to France.

I’m the first to admit that my maths are awful ( but I do know how many beans make 5) 😉 But, if it’s one in one out the numbers here stay the same 🤷‍♀️

The one in one out isn’t going to help with the numbers of people coming on small boats, so I do hope some other ideas are being discussed other than us giving even more money to France.

Equally headlining, is today's Tour de France uphill struggle across lumpy Norman roads.
Macron will no doubt be keen to get back to France to celebrate the final stage, where the race will make a detour via Montmartre. He had to intervene and tick off the mayor of Paris for refusing to allow entry in these streets. When Macron wants, Macron gets.

I guess the reason why the asylum seekers issue is headlined - in both countries actually
- is because it is happening right under our noses on a daily basis.

A French newspaper makes the interesting point that security won't be highlighted in the press in the same way, due to the delicate nature of the discussions. Neither Macron nor Starmer will be precise on such matters, so the reporting will therefore be at a loss to offer much detail.
If anyone on here believes they know all about the security measures being agreed, then they are misguided.

And if safe passage is given - at a stroke, we will be controlling 95% of those people entering the U.K. seeking asylum.

It isn’t bloody rocket science.

Give asylum seekers safe passage and this whole debacle would stop overnight.

Interesting to note that “illegal asylum seekers” which has NEVER been correct has now become “irregular asylum seekers” which is utterly meaningless.

I note that the BBC has changed “illegal” to “irregular”

What a load of nonsense.

People seeking asylum are just that they have never been illegal or now irregular.

The immigration discussions made headline news because it suited Starmer, but in fact they composed a minority of of the overall discussions. It is interesting how the BBC headlined it rather than other far more important issues.

European security was one of the main subjects as well as trade and the economy . These issues will affect British citizens far more into the future.

Bring in ID cards here and toughen up our system as Macron points out we should be doing.