The Calais migrant crisis has gotten too far out of control for border security to cope, it is time to bring in the military to secure the border between Britain and France, the EU needs the creation of an EU multi- national Border force to stem the tide of human trafficking, illegal migrants need detained and returned to their home countries, piecemeal action has failed

Dear All

Some time ago I wrote that the member states of the EU needed to agree to have an EU border force. This would allow a member state to police their borders as normal but also to call in assistance from member countries and their resources in an emergency.

The issue of human trafficking from Africa and other trouble spots have led to an exodus of people from various countries who are economic migrants. So far, the response from EU governments has been piecemeal and largely ineffective. In Britain, France and Italy, the humanitarian issue has overshadowed the legal and security issues, this is ineffective a running sore.

Political correctness has paralysed effective decision making as political parties seek to use the crisis for petty political advantage. The illegal migrants are and have been a danger to national and economic security of the EU member states. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has upped the rhetoric by describing the illegal migrants as “marauding” much like an ‘out of control mob’.

In the interests of both UK and France, the governments need to secure Calais and that means bring in the military to deal with the situation, the make shift camps needs to be closed down and the people legally detained for return to their own countries of origin.

Prime Minister David Cameron says migrants are now “threatening” border staff to their attempts to break into Britain, this situation is putting lives at risk, on twitter an MEP is claiming that he was threatened with a gun. This situation is getting clearly beyond the scope for Police who like Border security staff are fighting a losing battle as they are being overrun.

This is a dangerous situation which needs to be dealt with by a plan to completely round up all the illegal migrants so that they can be searched and place in a secure facility pending removal by military personnel. The Asylum ‘industry’ in Britain has clouded the debate by attempting to tag all illegal migrants as asylum seekers, they are not; they are fleeing poverty not persecution.          

David Cameron is right not to criticise the Foreign Secretary but the “crisis” at Calais needs to be taken away from politics having become some kind of political football of the moment regarding ‘who cares’ enough.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman added:

“So long as there are large numbers of pretty desperate migrants marauding around the area there will always be a threat to the tunnel's security.”

It isn’t just the issue of who comes through the tunnel but also of what they are carrying and also importantly what their background is as well.

In the first six months of this year, nearly 150,000 migrants have been detected trying to enter Europe from North Africa or via Greece, this tide of people must be stemmed and, the creation of an EU border force able to access use of warships for patrol the Med would help matters. Funding could be made available via the EU for various aspects relating to detention and contributing to the border force’s costs which could be setup and managed using an existing body like NATO while the border force gets established in its own right.

NATO could work easily in conjunction with the EU as members are already members in the short term. Calais and other ports where illegal camps have been set up must be cleared and shut down, there should be zero tolerance applied in this matter.

If people want to come to the EU to live and work, there are legal means to do so, the fact so many don’t apply throws up serious doubts about them and their background which cannot be ignored because someone who seeks political gain wants to tag them ‘asylum seekers’.

Another issue raised by James Brokenshire, the immigration minister is that illegal migrants are denying people in the UK with a legal right to be here jobs. He told The Times:

“Rogue employers who give jobs to illegal migrants are denying work to UK citizens and legal migrants and helping to drive down wages.”

Other pressures also appear like housing, access to GP services, and a host of other facilities provided by councils and health agencies. This puts a real strain on people affected by this influx. When an illegal migrant takes a job, they are involved in crime, much in the same way as someone taking a job on benefits and not telling the DWP is involved in crime.

Immigration is a good thing, just as people wish to come here, Britons have also moved to work in other countries. But immigration must be controlled and it must be legal.

And I would stress it should also be colour blind.

One of the ideas, I also had was for the EU to adopt an EU internal immigration policy, this would help solve some other problems, but like the external immigration problem, there is a need for political will across the entire EU.

I favour sending in the military because the national and economic security of both Britain and France must be secured, this means our borders must remain intact from the crisis which is being played out in Calais.

Piecemeal security measures clearly aren’t working, border staff are being totally overrun and cannot cope.

This is developing rather badly and has been for some considerable time, steps of a more pro-active nature must be taken to return the situation to a manageable level that border staff can feel secure in doing their jobs without threat or endangerment to life.

Finally, although these people are illegal migrants, assistance should be provided in terms of medical aid and food, but at the end of the day, these people need to be returned to their home countries and the tide stopped.

I support the creation of an EU border force.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University