To think that UK bound lorry drivers should boycott Calais?

[Libitina]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33240475

The local police would soon do something to protect them then. If it was my husband (he's not a lorry driver) I would be so worried about his personal saftey. How long before someone is hurt or killed?

there have been many deaths over the years. These people are desperate and take stupid risks. They are taking measures to stop access to trucks while queuing -fences are being built around the approach roads. What are the French supposed to do? These people are sold a dream uk by traffickers who make at least 500 pounds for the last leg of the journey across the channel. People with a smattering of English will tell you they want to go to uk to go to university (which is free in France).
The camp is hell but something has to be provided when desperate people are present.

If the trucks all start travelling to uk from somewhere else the problem will just move. These people are fixated with uk. Many are in debt bondage to gangs and have to work off the debt in uk. They really don't realise what they are going to. That's part of why they won't ask for asylum in France.

In France, They don't get properly arrested, talking about this on radio just now. They get pulled out of the lorry and dropped by side of road 3 miles away. If the French arrested them and gave them a month in jail for breaking & entering, maybe that would deter some too.

Fyrefly - do you have a source to confirm your assertions that there are 'few women and children' and that they are 'economic migrants, young men seeking a better life rather than true refugees fleeing war' ?

I suspect you either have no source, or your source is the Daily Mail, because what you are saying is nonsense. And who are you to decide what is a 'true refugee'?

The men, women and children (or 'these people' as you put it) at Calais are fleeing war, poverty and oppression. And yes, they are looking for a better life, and why shouldn't they? Do they not deserve it?

It's a truly horrendous situation. I am proud to live in a country that persecuted and poverty stricken people see as a safe place to be.

The attitudes of many on this thread to the awful predicament our fellow human beings find themselves in is disgraceful. Remember - we live here because we are lucky, that's all. We have no more of a right to a comfortable, safe life than anyone else, no matter where in the world they come from.

we can't have all Calais migrants here end of. we are a small island. we need controlled immigration.

Even if we took in all the migrants currently at Calais there are many more at the Italian/ French border who are trying to get to Calais. Are we supposed to take them in too?

We are a very small country and we simply haven't got the resources to take in any more people.

Most of these young men are uneducated and have no skills, there are no jobs or houses for them so they will end up living in makeshift camps (yes, I live near Peterborough too) and they will resort to begging and crime.

We cant let any more in!

turtle I could have won UKIP bingo with your post.

As for "stopping them from leaving their home country" I mean stop them from wanting to leave, not physically preventing them from leaving.
As for "inviting more here" DFO.

When it comes to exploitation, we may see anything less than minimum wage as such but if you have struggled in your home country, a few quid an hour will seem like a kings ransom. Don't forget, there are countries in Europe in which a monthly salary of €200 is considered normal.

The rule that states you must claim asylum in the first safe country doesn't really work in practice. If you speak some English, but no French for example, it makes more sense for you to try to come to the UK. likewise if they already have family here, or perceive the UK as less racist/more transparent asylum seeking process. Some of you are so keen to rely on this rule because you know full well it would mean there are very few claimants because we are so isolated geographically. I don't think it's fair that other countries have to bear the brunt of a mass influx of migrants (that want to claim asylum) simply because they are closer.

woodhill we actually have extremely strict immigration rules, compared with France for example. We are not a 'small island' ffs, don't be so dramatic. You clearly know precious little about immigration and believe scaremongering.

Many of those trying to get onto lorries want to come here as they speak the language and this mean they can work.

If they stay in France they don't know the language although I am led to believe access to benefits and housing is far quicker.

I agree that we need to stop people as much as possible coming n through unofficial channels as they end up exploited and that's wrong.

If people DO get here then I want them to have access to healthcare so that diseases like TB can be monitored and treated.I want those who are exploiting these people to feel the full wrath of the law.

Well if we don't have space for anymore people I suggest you all stop having children immediately. Unless of course you mean we have no space for non British people moreshabby? If the Tory government isn't spending enough on infrastructure that's a separate issue, strictly in terms of space, we have plenty. Btw, there are plenty of menial jobs going in my town (London environs).

How do you know what their level of education is? How do you know the people in Italy are coming to Calais?

France can't arrest them and jail them for a month. If They have tried to break into a lorry that would only really warrant a slap on the wrist. The Immigration hasn't occurred yet, and if it did it would be a British problem.

Compared with countries like France and Germany we are indeed a small island, maybe you should consult an atlas.

If they have skills such as doctors, engineers etc why are they not coming to the UK through the proper channels? Have you ever been to any African countries and seen how many of the children actually go to school?

Will you be happy to go the back of the queue when it comes to NHS treatment, Which is already facing cutbacks? When your benefits are cut, when your child cant get a school place, when your children are still living at home as they have no chance of getting a home of their own.

And yet, compared to countries like Malta we are rather large. Is your point that we don't have enough space? Or that our infrastructure cannot support a larger population? I've addressed both of these points. Also, if we are so small why is the government making no effort to limit the size of th British population?

When your benefits are cut, when your child cant get a school place, when your children are still living at home as they have no chance of getting a home of their own.

All that is already happening and it has very, very little to do with immigration.

You can be skilled (I.e. Have a trade) and not be a doctor ffs.

Why would anyone be going to the back of the queue, they wouldn't get priority! There would just be more people to form a queue. Benefits don't apply to me and I don't have DCs so again, that doesn't apply. We need to be spending more on infrastructure, and that's irrespective of whether we allow migrants into the country.

Where does the money come from to build on the infrastructure, we dont have a finite amount of money, we are in debt to billions of pounds. There are already cuts in place, do you suggest we cut off all benefits to people living here so we can spend more to enable us to take in more people.

People are waiting longer to get hospital/doctors appointments, it stands to reason the more people there are the longer the waits and people will die.

I was using doctors as an example, we dont need any more street cleaners, toilet attendants etc.

But you carry on with your blinkered view, I wont be around to see the ruination of this country but my children and grandchildren will.

I guess we shouldn't be surprised that the UK is seen as desirable seeing as how our colonial past means we spent about 300 years going round the world and telling everyone that our country was the best. What the solution is however, I don't know...

The language used to describe humans who are living in desperate conditions in camps, having travelled thousands of miles getting away from more desperate conditions is dehumanising and awful. Yes, I get, it's a problem for lorry drivers, but that isn't resolved by talking about refugees as if they are a vermin infestation. These people are victims of conditions for which Europeans have to take at least some responsibility. They don't need locking up, they need help.

I do know as I live in Greater London and see it with my own eyes. The area I have lived in all my life had changed. why are we not allowed to be unhappy about it?. why do I have to think it is wonderful

also why should we limit our own population. unbelievable. probably is being limited anyway because the poor British people probably are at the bottom of the social housing list.

Are there official sources about what happens to the illegal migrants who do get into Britain?
I'm under impression that almost none claim asylum, they are mostly very much planning to live & work here illegally, and then hope for an amnesty in later years that allows them to become legal UK residents.

On radio5 now from a guy who works for a small charity to help improve the living conditions of the waiting migrants (not out to vilify them at all), on why they are so desperate to get to Britain:

"It's easier to lead a hidden life in Britain... or else they speak English and don't want to take the trouble to learn French."

"Many have members of family in Britain with papers, to join them they can only act illegally."

"You [UK] have a culture of moonlighting... you don't have identity cards... when you rent a room the owner doesn't ask for identification... and you have fewer police, that could be a factor as well."

I have often wondered why the UK is so attractive to migrants. If they are escaping problems at home then surely asylum anywhere in the EU would be welcome.

I suspect (but have no real evidence) that it is because we have a thriving black economy and once they are in the UK they can just disappear.

I also think it unfair for France to have to pay all the costs of policing this - any people convicted there have to go to French jails (paid for by the French tax payer).

There is a wider issue with migration that all EU should pay for, and maybe a specific issue with attempts to get to UK that maybe we need to deal with (with EU help if it is a big long term problem that would be very difficult to deal with - eg a huge black economy of people who don't officially exist).

Whatever the solution though - it is going to take cooperation and slagging each other off isn't going to help that.

In France you used to have to have an identity card, UK was less hassle.

Something else I was puzzling over on the way in to work today (my time for idle puzzling). Are there any checks on the ferries ? I mean in the holds (presuming they are hiding out in lorries etc ). Do the ferry staff or the immigration authorities scan the hold for unauthorised people ? Presumably you could use heat and CO2 detection to pick out hotspots. That would enable them to pick up people before they land.

Local news for East Anglia a couple of weeks ago talked about several 10s of people being picked up after landing by random checks of incoming lorries - so presumably not on that route at least (Hook of Holland to Harwich).

That doesn't deal with the issue of what to do with apparently stateless people - but it would stop them disappearing into the UK hinterland once they are off the ferries.

My lorry driving uncle got beat up in the early 90's by people trying to hide in his lorry.

He now lives in Canada. It's safer.

I wont be around to see the ruination of this country but my children and grandchildren will.
^ this

We do not have the resources or the money to cope and I don't want my taxes to rise or to lose further public services to pay for a surge of economic migrants. We have enough unskilled young men here already, why should we allow more to come?