To think the British government reaction to Calais migrants is pathetic?

[ribbitTheFrog]

It's like they're just putting their heads in the sand. Meanwhile people are dying, hauliers are being threatened, holiday makers having trips ruined.

I'd do the following:

Make clear any illegal entries will be turned back to France. Make clear there are not limitless jobs, housing etc in the UK. Make clear no benefits to new migrants (if this isn't the case then change the law).

Presumably the migrants think the UK has lots of money and opportunities, otherwise they wouldn't be risking their lives to leave France (a safe country).

its awful what's going on

Very difficult when people are desperate and willing to take huge risks

It's awful what is going on. These people are desperate though so I don't think the measures you suggest would have any major impact though. They would be willing to risk still.

Very difficult when there's millions of pounds to be made out of human misery by organised criminals people are desperate and willing to take huge risks

How's that "war on drugs going" ? It's only been 44 years.

All of those things are already made clear and there are no benefits for these migrants. If you are living under a piece of plastic and relying on a soup kitchen you'll try anything to improve your lot.

Speaking as an immigrant...I don't understand why these people don't settle in the first democratic country they get to , why risk their lives to get to the uk?
As regards the govt what can they do , the problem is in another country ?

I'm sure it will all soon be resolved as TM is having yet another meeting about the problem. They will probably send another roll of fencing...sorted!

YANBU, but if were going to be part of the EU then this is exactly the sort of problem we should be working on as a union. Our government is being pathetic, but the ready of the EU is worse by allowing it to happen and then just absolving themselves of any responsibility.

Look at where these fellow humans are from and then wonder why they left. Their countries were either invaded by us, or had illegal regime changes imposed or supported, are involved in civil wars with weapons supplied by the CIA or they came from countries that are having their natural resources stolen, usually by corporations paying massive bribes to corrupt governments.

maybe it suits the govt to have us feeling under threat of invasion?

These are desperate people - maybe if they where offered support accommodation and employment in France they wouldn't be trying to flee
They are willing to live in the vilest conditions and risk death to get here - compassion might be the best starting point

DoctorTwo - the bbc website this morning says AFP says an official count at the beginning of July found that about 3,000 migrants - mainly from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan and Afghanistan - were camping in Calais and trying to get across the Channel.

We didn't invade the first 3, and as far as Afghanistan is concerned, do you really think the Taliban was a better bet for them?

We did not create the situations in their countries.

support accommodation and employment
Certainly that would be a compassionate response, but it would also encourage more people to make the same journey ?

Firstly I think the French should either call their army in to patrol Calais, or let us bring the British army in. Migrants getting close to, or into the tunnel needs to be stopped and the security guards employed clearly aren't up to the job, and it's not really the French police job either. People are dying and thousands of companies are losing money, I don't think the army is an overreaction.

Secondly I think we need to start a programme of education in the countries the migrants are coming from to show them the truth about what happens when they reach Calais, not the lies the traffickers tell them. If they knew they'd be living rough with thousands of others, surviving on a bowl of pasta of stew a day and in danger of dying to reach the UK, which is far from the land of milk and honey they've been told it is, they might chose not to come.

I don't think any country could cope with the numbers at the moment. It would be as unfair to expect France to deal with it as it is to expect us to.

What the solution is I don't know, I guess they need to find the ones who are trying it on and send them home then countries in the EU work together to help accommodate the rest.

Perhaps the 'bottom billion' should be somehow absorbed into the first world??

(Much easier said than done I know!)

And I agree with pp about needing to educate people before they leave their country.

The British and French need to make a concerted joint effort to return these people to their home nations. They are illegal migrants and France's pathetic efforts, which merely involve removing them from the lorries, tunnels and other places they have trespassed in and then setting them free to immediately try again, are laughable.

No wonder Europe is such a target for illegal, economic migrants. There is currently no effective Europe-wide plan to deal with them. Each southern European nation seems to hope that the bulk will pass through on their way to Germany or Britain and thereafter they won't be their problem. Europe needs a strong, joined-up policy immediately involving processing valid asylum claims overseas and then distributing those migrants fairly, preventing anyone else from coming, and quickly returning any that arrive. Otherwise our nations are open to abuses of all kinds - including the free movement of terrorists and other dangerous criminals. We basically have no fucking idea who these people are and what crimes they may have committed elsewhere, because once they're in Europe they just move freely from place to place. Its terrifying.

And yes, we should invest in educating people in their home nations to staunch the flow of people from their homes. Otherwise they will believe the traffickers who sell them an idea of lands of milk and honey to the north, which they then bankrupt their families back home trying to reach.

And yes, we should invest in educating people in their home nations to staunch the flow of people from their homes

what would you suggest?
send out leaflets?
TV adverts?

I suggest a documentry film that can been shown in for free in cinemas, community centres and village squares.

I wouldn't want to live in a country where IS were running the show either.

?You don't think that the criminal gangs who profit from the migration would take measures to prevent the documentary from being shown? ?

We are talking about highly dysfunctional and corrupt places remember

I've asked this before but no one can give me the answer. If these people are running away from danger how come they are all young men. Where are all the women, children and old people? Are these men expecting to reach the UK and be given a house and enough money to be able to send for their families or are they coming here for another reason?

We have no idea who they are and what their intentions are or who is providing the money for them to reach Europe but I doubt they are here to benefit us in any way.