Why?

[Ontheedgeofit]

Non resident UK citizen here who has a genuine question.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLsBb5Xscjg/?igsh=MXE1OHM4NTJoeGtkcg==

Why do these people risk the sea crossing to the UK. Why don’t they stay on mainland Europe. What makes this worth the extra risk?

They have family in UK
They speak English a bit
There is a community of their compatriots
They think we will be more welcoming
They think prospects are better

Why are the French stopping them? Surely it’s another bunch of people now on their plate again.

You need to Google your questions. There's lots of reports, which include interviews with the migrants.
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/france-britain-hope-migrant-taxi-boat-plan-will-slow-record-channel-crossings-2025-07-04/

Usually these people are asylum seekers, not migrants, so come under the 1951 refugee and immigration law that European countries are bound by. Look up the conditions of the camps in France and how they are treated, including children.

If i knew i will be housed in a hotel i would come too

Well, at least we have a thread where the Daily Mail readers can out themselves.

So the French want them to stay so that they can treat them badly?

Google won’t answer these questions?

Because they are desperate.

Because the UK treat them better than France?
Why are the French stopping them from leaving?

i struggle to understand it as well.
i can’t imagine risking my own or my child’s life. I 100% understand fleeing war/persecution/famine etc but not fleeing France where they could apply for asylum

Are they fleeing France? Was the UK always their intended destination? I’m just trying to make sense of the additional risk of the channel crossing.

What we need is a proper system whereby these people can apply for asylum without having to be in the country first. The current system is what is making people take such risks and is feeding the people traffickers.

And the comments section on those types of articles aren't that different from BNP literature from the 90s , in fact some Daily Mail headlines aren't that different from BNP literature.

The roads are paved with gold.

Here we go again 🙄

I’m not even remotely interested in whether they should be in the UK or not. I want to know what is to be gained by risking the additional channel crossing and why the French stop them? What happens to them now? They simply become the French problem? Why stop them then.

The reason have been stated above. Remember that they don't access to information like we do. What they hear are rumours, false information and a lot of 'the UK is amazing. The language has a lot to do with it, the healthcare too because however much we think it's awful, internationally, it is seen as the best.

As for the risks, they don't see it as any worse than what they've had to cope with to get there. It's the last stage, all has gone fine so far, that last part will be too.

So they have trekked mainland Europe with the express intention of getting to the UK?

Because the UK government have an agreement with and are paying France to put more effort into stopping them.

Thank you. And then what happens to them? They stay in France?

They stay in France, try another country that they think will have better possibilities and will treat them better, or ultimately return to their country of origin, even when there is conflict in some cases. A number of them will try to come to the U.K. again by different means and lose a lot of money doing so, not to mention trying even more dangerous methods, depending on their determination/ desperation. It’s very sad, particularly when children are involved.

Can’t imagine it and feel very lucky not to be able to.

It's interesting as I'd choose loads of other EU countries to seek asylum before the UK.

Maybe UK government should do a PR piece on 'look how shit we are...choose Denmark instead' or something!

But why dont they just get a plane? It would be cheaper than the fees they pay the smugglers and much safer?

because the French treat them badly, their aim is always to get to the UK because they know they will have a fair asylum application. In some European countries their application will be refused without them even having an interview. The UK’s asylum process is fair. It’s not about free hotels and benefits it’s about being given a fair chance at asylum.

A plane to where though? Don’t forget then you need to have visas etc in place to enter.