Conservatives attack ‘Sangatte Two’
Shadow immigration minister Damien Green has launched a stinging attack on ‘government inaction’ following French proposals to establish a welfare centre in Calais for asylum seekers.
He described the government as “appallingly complacent”, and told the BBC that “it’s disappointing that our own Home Office doesn’t seem to be doing anything about this.”
But Liberal Democrat shadow home secretary Nick Clegg dismissed Mr Green’s comments as “cynical and hysterical”.
“Cynical because once again the old Tory party re-emerges to score cheap political points on the emotive issue of immigration.”
The new centre, which has the support of various local charities and the mayor of Calais, will offer food, showers and advice to foreign nationals who are often forced to sleep on the streets in the area. A final decision on the centre will be made by the end of the month, although, if approved, it will not open until November 2007.
The plans have been dubbed “Sangatte Two”, following the French camp shut down in 2002 over suspicions that it was being used for people trafficking. The new centre does not offer an accommodation service, however, and UK border controls have been robustly consolidated over the last five years.
The Tories claim that the centre will nevertheless encourage illegal immigration merely by providing the facilities.
“We all know that the only reason why all those people are there is to try to break the law and try to come to Britain illegally, and dangerously in many cases,” Mr Green told the BBC.
But the Lib Dems accused the Tories of lacking basic compassion: “The Conservatives should grow up and get real,” Mr Clegg said.
He continued: “The mass movement of people across European borders is a fact of life, and we need to be working with other European governments to provide a firm but fair asylum and immigration system. Trying to cause trouble without accepting the need for that co-operation is the worst kind of political opportunism.”
“What do the Conservatives propose to do with the thousands of people who have congregated in Calais – simply consign them to mass destitution?”
Official figures show the number of illegal immigrants detected entering Kent from Calais fell 88 percent from more than 10,000 in 2002 to 1,500 in 2006.
