3 08 2015

Britain is not a “land of milk and honey”

On migrant crisis update: On my way to London last Thursday, I had to divert from Calais to Dunkirk, France to avoid the chaos going on with migrants trying to enter the United Kingdom illegally. Upon entry to Dover, British police presence was highly visible due to thorough control of the lorries and trucks filing in a row on both sides of the road that caused terrible delays for travellers entering UK. It took me more than 4 hours to reach London compared to the normal 2-hour, 11-minute drive.
Meanwhile, Home Office Minister Theresa May said, “Failed asylum seekers with children will be stripped of benefits in order to send a message to stranded migrants in Calais, France that Britain is not a land of milk and honey”.

Immigration Minister and Parliament member James Brokenshire also announced that the Government would withdraw the automatic entitlement to payments of £36.95 a week for immigrants with children, amid growing concern that migrants are risking their lives to reach the United Kingdom because they believe they will enjoy a better lifestyle in this country. Mr Brokenshire told reporters that failed asylum seekers who do not have children were already unable to claim benefits. The move is part of a concerted government bid to resolve the crisis, which has led to chaos in parts of Kent as motorway traffic to France ground to a standstill at the weekend following repeated attempts by migrants to storm the Channel Tunnel in Calais, leading to the closure of the service. Minister May also added that the UK has agreed to provide an extra £7m ($10.9m) towards efforts to step up security at the Channel Tunnel railhead. Agence FrancePresse (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. This made David Cameron to comment, “These migrants are like swarms” (a large or dense group of flying insects). Swedish Migration Minister Morgan Johansson criticised the Prime Minister, saying: “I hear what he is saying about illegal immigrants and about swarms and everything like that”. Reverend Trevor Willmott, the bishop of Dover also criticised Cameron for using the word “swarm” to describe them. He commented, “We’ve become an increasingly harsh world, and when we become harsh with each other and forget our humanity then we end up in these standoff positions. We need to rediscover what it is to be a human, and that every human being matters.”

About The Author

Arlene Andes

Public & Press Relations Officer / Journalist / Radio & TV Personality Belgium