The Swedish justice and migration minister has accused David Cameron of “playing politics” with the migrant crisis in Calais.
Morgan Johansson said scenes in Calais had resulted from France and the UK not taking “responsibility” for accepting more asylum seekers.
Migrants in Calais are making nightly bids to cross the Channel.
The UK and French governments have announced they will bolster security around the Eurotunnel site in Calais.
Thousands of migrants have attempted to access the Eurotunnel terminal in the last week, and nine have died trying to access the tunnel since the start of June.
David Cameron has said the UK will not become a “safe haven” for migrants and warned illegal immigrants would be removed from the country.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s The World This Weekend programme, Mr Johansson criticised Mr Cameron for using the word “illegal” about asylum seekers before they have been through asylum the process, and said they were seeking a basic human right.
Sweden allows anyone from Syria into the country, and last year Sweden accepted 30,000 asylum seekers compared to the UK’s 10,000.
Mr Johansson called on the rest of the European Union, including the UK, to take more people in.
“I hear what he [Mr Cameron] is saying about illegal immigrants and about swarms and everything like that,” he said.
“I think he’s playing on strings - that he wants to actually divide people - and that’s not a constructive way.”
“It’s gone midnight, we need more people, you need to come,” says Mohammed, a Sudanese migrant standing by a metal fence that separates him from the railway line at the Channel tunnel freight terminal.
Preparing for the next “tunnel run”, he is on his mobile, urging his cousin Tayeb to join him and the 200 other migrants who have broken through two layers of fencing already.
On the other side stand 20 riot police, waiting with tear gas.
Mohammed’s plea is a telling indication of the wider split in the camp, between those who continue to risk their lives on the relentless quest to illegally stow away to the UK, and those who are exhausted, injured, or deterred by the increased security.
This weekend has been relatively calm, although French police have decided to stop releasing daily estimates of how many migrants are managing to break into the train terminal.
The fear is the continuous daily updates on security lapses only serve to fuel media reports and intensify the situation.
Morgan Johansson said scenes in Calais had resulted from France and the UK not taking “responsibility” for accepting more asylum seekers.
Migrants in Calais are making nightly bids to cross the Channel.
The UK and French governments have announced they will bolster security around the Eurotunnel site in Calais.
Thousands of migrants have attempted to access the Eurotunnel terminal in the last week, and nine have died trying to access the tunnel since the start of June.
David Cameron has said the UK will not become a “safe haven” for migrants and warned illegal immigrants would be removed from the country.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s The World This Weekend programme, Mr Johansson criticised Mr Cameron for using the word “illegal” about asylum seekers before they have been through asylum the process, and said they were seeking a basic human right.
Sweden allows anyone from Syria into the country, and last year Sweden accepted 30,000 asylum seekers compared to the UK’s 10,000.
Mr Johansson called on the rest of the European Union, including the UK, to take more people in.
“I hear what he [Mr Cameron] is saying about illegal immigrants and about swarms and everything like that,” he said.
“I think he’s playing on strings - that he wants to actually divide people - and that’s not a constructive way.”
“It’s gone midnight, we need more people, you need to come,” says Mohammed, a Sudanese migrant standing by a metal fence that separates him from the railway line at the Channel tunnel freight terminal.
Preparing for the next “tunnel run”, he is on his mobile, urging his cousin Tayeb to join him and the 200 other migrants who have broken through two layers of fencing already.
On the other side stand 20 riot police, waiting with tear gas.
Mohammed’s plea is a telling indication of the wider split in the camp, between those who continue to risk their lives on the relentless quest to illegally stow away to the UK, and those who are exhausted, injured, or deterred by the increased security.
This weekend has been relatively calm, although French police have decided to stop releasing daily estimates of how many migrants are managing to break into the train terminal.
The fear is the continuous daily updates on security lapses only serve to fuel media reports and intensify the situation.
No comments:
Post a Comment