France: We won’t move the border
Cameron’s claims that Brexit would lead to ‘Jungle’ refugee camps in UK undermined
FRANCE last night said it would not pull out of its border arrangements with the UK even in the event of Britain voting to leave the European Union.
David Cameron has argued that voting for a Brexit would result in migrant camps such as “the Jungle” in Calais moving to southern England.
The Prime Minister said that a “huge number” of asylum seekers could come to Britain “overnight” because France would pull out of current border arrangements in the aftermath of an EU exit by this country.
He said that a vote to leave would give French politicians the chance to “tear up” the deal, which lets UK border guards check passports at Calais.
But last night French sources said that they would not renege on the 2003 agreement, undermining Mr Cameron’s claims.
Tory Eurosceptics accused the Prime Minister of “scaremongering” and pointed to comments by Bernard Cazeneuve, the French interior minister, who has said that ending the border arrangements would result in a “humanitarian disaster”.
Speaking in October, Mr Cazeneuve said: “Calling for the border with the English to be opened is not a responsible solution.
“It would send a signal to people smugglers and would lead migrants to flow to Calais in far greater numbers. A humanitarian disaster would ensue. It is a foolhardy path, and one the government will not pursue.”
A source at France’s interior ministry confirmed that his statement remained the official position and that there were “no plans” to reform the agreement.
Under the 2003 Le Touquet treaty between the UK and France, Britain is allowed to conduct border controls at French rather than UK borders.
The arrangement means checks for migrants stowing away on lorries or trains bound for Britain are carried out in Calais, not Dover.
Mr Cameron yesterday defended his position and warned that there were “any number of opposition politicians” in France who would “love” to scrap the deal.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The point here is about a huge number of people coming to the UK effectively overnight to claim asylum.
“So you’re literally having thousands of people coming to the UK overnight to claim asylum in Folkestone or other entry points on the South Coast.”
Philippe Mignonet, the deputy mayor of Calais, bolstered Mr Cameron’s case. He said: “We will have to cancel these agreements, because England
DAVID CAMERON risks handing votes to the “out” campaign if he does not agree to appear in public debates ahead of the European Union referendum, according to a leading pollster.
Ben Page, the chief executive of Ipsos Mori, said voters will “wonder why” the Prime Minister is not debating the merits of his EU renegotiation ahead of voting day, which is expected in June.
Mr Cameron is under increasing pressure to deliver on his promise last month to agree to a televised debate ahead of the referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. The Daily Tele
graph, YouTube and BuzzFeed are offering to co-host a debate on the issues in the lead-up to the ballot.
Mr Page said Mr Cameron might want to turn down any invitation to appear in a debate with a rival politician leading for the “out” campaign.
But there was a “risk” that this decision would boost the Eurosceptic side, which would be able to say that he was “running scared”. Mr Page said: “That is the risk, but he will also remember the great dictum of George Bernard Shaw, ‘Never wrestle with a pig because you both get dirty and the pig likes it’.
“If the Prime Minister doesn’t take part in debates, the public will be wondering why. His opponents will be able to say he is running scared.
“It might have an effect, but a lot of people make up their minds a long time before they see any of these debates that confirm their prejudices.
“Ultimately it depends how close it is. If it is very close then anything can make a difference, a bad debate might make all the difference. They are important and people will be expecting them.”
Yesterday Lord Jones of Birmingham, a former trade minister, said there should be three public debates involving the Prime Minister, the two “in” and “out” campaigns and business leaders.
Lord Jones, a former director general of the CBI, said that members of the audience should be able to question Mr Cameron about why he wants Britain to stay in the EU. Liam Fox, a former Conservative Cabinet minister, said last week that the Prime Minister owes it to the public to join a debate because it is such a “momentous” decision.
‘The public will be wondering why and his opponents will be able to say he is running scared’