'Economic migrants', 'asylum seekers' - whatever! This a global mess that is the legacy of generations of human exploitation, economic greed and political short termism.
We've got to shift the conversation from ' send 'em back', 'man the barricades', 'send them food parcels'. It won't go away if even if start machine gunning the people trying to make their way here from Calais.
This is probably the defining moment of our age. Europe and the rest of the 'over' developed nations, including the British government (and people) are going to have to make a massive psychological shift in terms of our 'entitlement' to the world's resources. We have been the main instigators of global plundering and the beneficiaries of artificial prosperity along with the stability/relatively comfortable lives that this brings, for generations.
Let's be consistent - we are going through national austerity because it would be immoral to leave our grandchildren with a national debt/the deficit we have run up over previous generations. And so too with the situation at Calais and elsewhere across Europe/globe.
Calais today is payback time for generations of plundering Africa (in the main) - for our over reliance on oil (resulting in our 'do anything to get it' philosophy to global affairs) and its effects on the planet leading to scarce resources such as water and fertile land.
Even the most simple mind must be able to reason that for every aspect of the lifestyles we enjoy - warm homes, cheap food, cars, cheap clothes etc we are running up a global deficit. But its not just cash we owe - it's stability, safety, land, resources, clean water - the necessity for human life.
Don't think charitable giving - think debt repayment and let's start deep austerity now to pay for it.
Think of the people in Calais who are trying to get to the UK in the back of lorries as the Bailiffs. We're not paying our debts built up over generations and they are breaking down the door to get goods to equivalent value.
This is just like the day you get the court order telling you the mortgage company are coming to reposess the house - you either stay in denial, grab a shotgun and stand on your drive shouting 'keep 'em out' and wait for violent forced eviction or you start working to repay the debt, selling off everything but the clothes on your back and praying they accept your repayment plan.
Radical solutions- mass evacuations of the innocent people in war torn/ famine struck nations and resettlement in Europe, Americas, Australasia. The renationalisation of natural resources (diamonds, oil, agriculture) and dismantling of global multi nationals that make billionaires by enslaving the indiginous people.
Continuing and increasing global inequity will lead to more political extremisims (IS for example is not religious - its a political & econmically driven movement ), more conflict and wars.
It's delusional to think we can carry on as we have been doing. Sweeping history under the carpet and pretending the legacies are none of our business. And it is immoral for us to shirk our responsibility now and leave this mess for our children and grandchildren to live with.
Every single one of us is going to have make great sacrifices. More crowded towns and homes, less food, less travel, less leisure - because if we don't sooner or later (and probably very much sooner than we would care to imagine) we're all going to end up with nothing. It's one world and as the politicians like to say 'we're all in it together'.