Britain to build wall at French border to keep out migrants

[Blackleaf]

Donald Trump quite sensibly wants a wall built at the US border with Mexico. Now Britain is to build a wall on its border with France.

Construction is soon to begin on a "big new wall" in Calais following a surge in the number of migrants trying to get across the Channel, the Government has announced.

The 13ft (4m) high concrete barrier will be funded by Britain at a cost of £2 million, and will stretch over a half a mile along the main dual carriageway approaching the ferry port. Work is expected to begin as soon as this month.

The measure was confirmed on Tuesday by the immigration minister, Robert Goodwill, who said: "The security that we are putting in at the port is being stepped up with better equipment.

"We are going to start building this big new wall very soon. We've done the fence, now we are doing a wall."

Work to begin on 'big wall' at Calais to block migrants

Sophie Jamieson
7 September 2016
The Telegraph

The British-French border is at Calais

Construction is soon to begin on a "big new wall" in Calais following a surge in the number of migrants trying to get across the Channel, the Government has announced.

The 13ft (4m) high concrete barrier will be funded by Britain at a cost of £2 million, and will stretch over a half a mile along the main dual carriageway approaching the ferry port. Work is expected to begin as soon as this month.

The measure was confirmed on Tuesday by the immigration minister, Robert Goodwill, who said: "The security that we are putting in at the port is being stepped up with better equipment.

"We are going to start building this big new wall very soon. We've done the fence, now we are doing a wall."

Migrants gather at Calais in their desire to reach Britain Credit: Christopher Furlong/Getty

It will be placed on either side of the road to prevent migrants from trying to stop traffic and climb into lorries and other vehicles.

The Road Haulage Association has criticised the measure as a bad use of taxpayers' money, which could instead be spend on "increasing security along approach roads".

Figures released last month showed that UK Border Force guards on French soil stopped 84,088 migrants last year.

Immigration minister Robert Goodwill

French police commissioner Patrick Visser-Bourdon has claimed there were 22,000 breaches of the port road defences in June this year, in comparison to 3,000 in January.

On Monday the main motorway into Calais was blockaded by lorries, police, union members, shopkeepers and farmers demanding that the Jungle migrant camp be demolished.

Lorries, vans and tractors blocked the junction at the entrance to the Eurotunnel, with protesters saying they would not move until the French government takes action over the migrant crisis.

Eventually they agreed to end the protest following concessions from the government, according to a Eurotunnel spokesman.

Mr Goodwill said: "The security that we are putting in at the port is being stepped up with better equipment.

We are going to start building this big new wall very soon as part of the £17 million package we are doing with the French."

Currently razor wire fencing is in place at the Port of Calais Credit: Jack Taylor/Getty

He also told the Commons home affairs committee that the aim of reducing immigration to the tens of thousands was a "big challenge".

"That is our clear objective and we intend to pursue every visa route that we can to reduce those numbers," he said.

He said the Government was not in the position to identify and remove every EU citizen in the UK after Brexit.

"It would not be a negotiating objective of the UK to remove people working and living here, making a contribution to our health service, to our agriculture, to all the other areas that they do," he said.


Work to begin on 'big wall' at Calais to block migrants*

 

[EagleSmack]

Am I to understand that Calais, which is in France, belongs to England?

 

[TenPenny]

That sets a dangerous precedent: that a country that wants a wall is the one that pays for it.

 

[Murphy]

Actually, if they were to build a wall, it would keep the Brits in. That makes it less likely for them to pollute the continental gene pool. For that reason alone, it's a good idea, IMV.

Ordinarily, I'd suggest that this story reads like it was written for a tabloid newspaper, but we are talking about the Brits.

 

[lone wolf]

You better use waterproof concrete

 

[Blackleaf]

Am I to understand that Calais, which is in France, belongs to England?

It did belong to England between 1347 and 1558. It was an English possession.

It should have belonged to England in perpetuity according to the Treaty of Brétigny, but the filthy French defied the treaty and stole it in 1558.

 

[EagleSmack]

It did belong to England between 1347 and 1558. It was an English possession.

It should have belonged to England in perpetuity according to the Treaty of Brétigny, but the filthy French defied the treaty and stole it in 1558.

So France is in agreement to let a wall be built?

Man... I see the convenience but the Chunnel could have been a mistake in the long run.

 

[Blackleaf]

Actually, if they were to build a wall, it would keep the Brits in.

The British can get out of Britain by plane, ship and, since 1994, train.

So France is in agreement to let a wall be built?

Man... I see the convenience but the Chunnel could have been a mistake in the long run.

Who cares what the French think? The British, of course, are paying for it, not the French.

If the French had proper border controls and stopped these people entering their country in the first place then there'd be no need for this wall.

 

[gerryh]

The British can get out of Britain by plane, ship and, since 1994, train.



Who cares what the French think? The British, of course, are paying for it, not the French.

If the French had proper border controls and stopped these people entering their country in the first place then there'd be no need for this wall.

So, you are saying that it is France's responsibility to keep people out of England?

 

[Blackleaf]

So, you are saying that it is France's responsibility to keep people out of England?

Yep. If these people - who have gone through several safe countries to get to France, when the law states they should stay in the first safe country they get to - end up in France because of France's porous borders and then queue up in Calais trying to get to England then it should be France's responsibility. The French should't have allowed them to enter their country in the first place. The French should be sending them all back on the train back over the border to Italy, where they get into France from.

This wall would never have been built had the French stopped these people entering their country in the first place.

And the British/French border has, since 2003, been in Calais, so Britain has every right to build a wall on her border to stop these people getting in. It's a shame the French don't take such a tough stance, otherwise there wouldn't be a need for this wall and there'd be no massive refugee camp in Calais with them all trying to get into Great Britain.

 

[lone wolf]

The border itself is halfway across the Channel. Wear a snorkel....

 

[PoliticalNick]

The British can get out of Britain by plane, ship and, since 1994, train.

I rode the train a couple of years back. It was quite nice. Cost us about the same as flying but was actually quicker when you consider all the security and pre-boarding etc at the airport. Less than 2 hours from Ashford station in Kent to Gare du Nord, Paris at speeds around 200mph. We went 1st class which was very comfortable and had food/beverage service. I walked back to the cheap section which is like a cattle car. Definitely go 1st class if you ever take the Eurostar

 

[Murphy]

It did belong to England between 1347 and 1558. It was an English possession.

It should have belonged to England in perpetuity according to the Treaty of Brétigny, but the filthy French defied the treaty and stole it in 1558.

Of course, 'the Filthy British' would never renege on agreements or invade other countries to get their way. What a buffoon.

 

[Blackleaf]

I rode the train a couple of years back. It was quite nice. Cost us about the same as flying but was actually quicker when you consider all the security and pre-boarding etc at the airport. Less than 2 hours from Ashford station in Kent to Gare du Nord, Paris at speeds around 200mph. We went 1st class which was very comfortable and had food/beverage service. I walked back to the cheap section which is like a cattle car. Definitely go 1st class if you ever take the Eurostar

The food available on a Eurostar train:

But it's the Orient Express, from London to Venice, which is the one I want to travel on:

 

[EagleSmack]

Who cares what the French think? The British, of course, are paying for it, not the French.

If the French had proper border controls and stopped these people entering their country in the first place then there'd be no need for this wall.

Wall up the Chunnel

 

[Blackleaf]

Wall up the Chunnel

Don't need to. The French block it up with their lorries at their end whenever they go on strike about something, which is every week.

 

[gerryh]

Yep. If these people - who have gone through several safe countries to get to France, when the law states they should stay in the first safe country they get to - end up in France because of France's porous borders and then queue up in Calais trying to get to England then it should be France's responsibility. The French should't have allowed them to enter their country in the first place. The French should be sending them all back on the train back over the border to Italy, where they get into France from.

This wall would never have been built had the French stopped these people entering their country in the first place.

And the British/French border has, since 2003, been in Calais, so Britain has every right to build a wall on her border to stop these people getting in. It's a shame the French don't take such a tough stance, otherwise there wouldn't be a need for this wall and there'd be no massive refugee camp in Calais with them all trying to get into Great Britain.

Wrong, it is the Brits responsibility to allow or not allow people to enter their country. No one else's. Using your reasoning, it's not even the French's problem or fault,it's the country that they passed through to get to France.

How about you stop passing the buck and blaming others for your countries inadequacies.

 

[Blackleaf]

Wrong, it is the Brits responsibility to allow or not allow people to enter their country. No one else's. Using your reasoning, it's not even the French's problem or fault,it's the country that they passed through to get to France.

How about you stop passing the buck and blaming others for your countries inadequacies.

Rubbish. If the French controlled their own borders then there'd be no need for this wall.

How would you like it if thousands of Mexicans massed as the Canadian border to try and get into Canada? You'd be seeing it as America's responsibility and that it shouldn't have let them in in the first place.

 

[TenPenny]

Typical British attitude: 'It's not our job to defend ourselves, someone else should do it'.

 

[Blackleaf]

Typical British attitude: 'It's not our job to defend ourselves, someone else should do it'.

So it's not France's responsibility to make sure these people don't enter France in the first place?