Entente cordiale can end Channel tragedies
THE horrific drowning of 27 migrants as they tried to cross the English Channel in an unseaworthy inflatable should be a turning point.
With the world watching, London and Paris must put aside petty differences, agree to deeper cooperation to smash the people-smuggling gangs and begin to stem the human misery.
But with tediously familiar truculence, Emmanuel Macron has so far refused to rise to the occasion – rebuffing Boris Johnson’s sweeping offer of extra help to solve the crisis.
If he truly wanted to save lives, the French president would swallow his pride and allow UK personnel to patrol the beaches around Calais, preventing ruthless human traffickers exploiting the desperate – and avoiding a repeat of Wednesday’s disaster.
We have already bunged France vast sums to stop the boats – and for what? Record numbers still land on our shores.
The truth is, while the money keeps flowing, France has little incentive to act. The authorities will turn a blind eye to those passing through on their journey to England – even if more souls perish.
This is scandalous and short-sighted. If the carrot of reaching Britain disappears with the smuggling rackets, migrants will no longer congregate on the French coast.
But what a telling insight into the Gallic mind that, at this time of tragedy, militant trawlermen plan to blockade French ports to disrupt UK-bound trade.
However, France is not solely to blame for the migrant chaos. We must look in our own mirror and ask: Why do so many make the treacherous trip here?
Yes, Britain has a noble history of offering sanctuary to those fleeing war and persecution. But many who illegally cross the Channel (having transited via numerous safe countries) are economic migrants attracted to our language, generous benefits and flourishing black market economy.
But thanks to our broken immigration system – and the activist lawyers who aid the merry-go-round of repeated appeals – vanishingly few are ever thrown out.
On top of that, successive governments have repeatedly caved in to emotionally manipulative claims by campaigners that it is racist to turn away migrants.
In the eyes of these liberal-left handwringers, toughening up immigration laws is tantamount to xenophobia.
Yet decent, liberal democracies, including Australia and Denmark, have found ways to deter illegal migration. None has become a fascist backwater.
Unless the Prime Minister finds a way to emulate them, he faces political peril. Voters, watching aghast as illicit armadas arrive daily at Dover, will lose faith in his promise to take back control of our borders – spelling potential ballot box disaster.
Solving this crisis is a test of political will on both sides of the Channel.
After this week’s horror, business as usual is not an option. Mr Johnson and Mr Macron must cast enmities aside and act to end the lethal crossings.
Good intentions and emotive words are all very well. But they won’t save a single life.