France tells British voters migrants will flow to Britain after EU exit

[Turborama]

Source: Reuters

France warned Britain on Thursday it would end border controls and let thousands of migrants move on to Britain if voters backed leaving the European Union.

It also said it would open its arms to British-based banks wanting to flee an non-EU Britain and stay in the bloc.

French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron echoed comments by Prime Minister David Cameron that a migrant camp known as the "Jungle" in the northern French coastal town of Calais could move to southern England in the event of a British EU exit.

Speaking ahead of a Anglo-French security summit in Amiens, Macron said a British exit would scupper a border deal that halts migrants in France but that Paris would be happy to accept bankers fleeing London.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-france-idUSKCN0W50PN

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Also...

Philip Hammond: Expat Britons could be forced to come home from Costa del Sol if Britain leaves EU

Hundreds of thousands of expatriate Britons on the Costa del Sol in Spain could have to return to Britain in the UK leaves Europe, Philip Hammond has indicated.

The immigration status of Britons living in Spain and other European Union countries could be thrown into doubt if the UK votes to leave, the Foreign Secretary said.

=snip=

Mr Hammond was asked what Brexit would mean for EU immigrants in the UK and replied: "It's a very good question and, again, a question that the Leave campaign has to answer.

"There are two million British citizens living in European Union countries. We have spent a lot of time in the UK focusing on EU citizens living here, but we have two million of our own citizens living in the EU - the largest number living in Spain."

More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/eureferendum/12181134/Philip-Hammond-Ex-pat-Britons-could-be-forced-to-come-home-from-Costa-del-Sol-if-Britain-leaves-EU.html

[pampango]

1. That does not scare UKIP and the UK hard right. They will build a huuuuge wall

right across the English Channel. They hear from their guy in the US that this will protect them from rapists and drug dealers and the other evils associated with immigrants.

As for the 2 million UK citizens in EU countries, to the right they would just be "collateral damage". If other EU countries follow the UK's lead perhaps we will see millions of "refugees" streaming across the continent returning to where they are welcome. From the right's point of view, what is not to like?

[Bad Dog]

2. UKIP are a bunch of right wing idiots.

But even they think Trump has gone too far.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was wrong to call for a ban on foreign Muslims entering the U.S., according to the U.K.'s own outspoken politician, Nigel Farage, the leader of the U.K. Independence Party, who also didn't pull his punches when it came to his current workplace.

Many prominent politicians have poured scorn on Trump for calling for the temporary ban, now even the leader of the anti-immigration UKIP.

"I think Trump was wrong to go as far as he did, but the basic point that we in the West should not be importing terrorism is the right one," Farage told CNBC Friday. "Being very careful about who you let in and vetting people (is fine) but just shutting up shop is not a very positive message."

Farage is known for his outspoken and often controversial views on immigration. His party, UKIP, had 4 million votes in the last U.K. election in May, making it a formidable force in U.K. politics. In the same vein, Trump has led in polls.


Contrasting himself with Trump, Farage said: "I'm considered outspoken but, jeepers, in America, I would be a shrinking violet, it's a very different kind of politics" in the U.S.

Nonetheless, Farage predicted Trump would win the Republican nomination but questioned whether he would be able to "reach out to people in America who usually don't vote in elections."

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/12/18/

[pampango]

3. Thanks for posting that. When Trump is more 'out there' than Nigel Farage

that is saying something.

[Bad Dog]

4. Don't get me wrong I loath UKIP.

Although one good thing about them is they've neutered the repulsive BNP.

I'm really hoping for a huge stay vote in the referendum. Nobody really wants it, it's just to placate the Tory party. The out campaign is made up of bigots, racists, geriatric Little Englander and rich City capitalists. A real obnoxious bunch.

[Turborama]

5. He's as full of shit as Trump. What he said there decrying "shutting up shop" is an outright lie.

If he had his way he'd ban ALL immigrants.

Ukip wants a five-year ban on new migrants, says Nigel Farage

Farage said: "In terms of immigration, in terms of people coming to settle, I would suggest that for up to a five-year period we don't have people coming to settle until we sort out the mess."

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jan/07/ukip-immigration-policy-nigel-farage-migrants-ban

And this was typical reich wing disingenuousness, too:

"I think Trump was wrong... but".

[Angel Martin]

6. Santa threatens to cancel Christmas if Britain votes for Brexit

"France warned Britain on Thursday it would end border controls and let thousands of migrants move on to Britain"


they must be mad if they think this sort of threat will help the "No" campaign.


It's as self-defeating as the Govt of Mexico threatening to send even more illegal immigrants if Trump is elected.


Instead, it is a reminder that, if the border is open, these countries like Mexico and France will have a threat they can use against us any time they like.

[Bad Dog]

7. Santa has no business in the UK.

This is Father Christmas territory.

[Angel Martin]

12. it may still be "Father Christmas" at Harrods

but it's "Santa" pretty much everywhere else

If people in 1975 knew what it would turn out like, they would have never voted to stay in the EU in the first place.

Step 1: Brexit

Step 2: blow up the Channel tunnel

[Bad Dog]

13. No it's not.

They're not the same. Santa is St Nicholas. Father Christmas is the Holly King, a pagan figure, and a lot more fun. Milk and Cookies, f*** off, mince pie and a glass of brandy, that's Christmas. Membership of the EU helps limit the influence of America, McDonalds, Santa, military bases, that sort of thing.

The last thing we want to be is the 51st state.

[Angel Martin]

14. I don't say they are the same

I'm just talking about the store advertising, which figure they reference around Christmas.

It reflects the customers.

America is 3000 miles away.

The people I know in the UK, the last thing they want is to be under the thumb of the EU forever.

[Bad Dog]

15. The people you know sound like a strange bunch.

This Englishman wants to stay. And so does everyone else I know who's under 70. This place is too much like America as it is.

We're not under the EU's thumb, we're an equal member. If we're under anyone's thumb it's America's. The EU didn't lead us into a disastrous war in Iraq, the EU doesn't have troops on our soil. America may be 3000 miles away but it acts like it's in charge. Yes to Europe, no to the 51st State.

[Democat]

8. Sounds like a stupid threat

Most countries are able to manage their borders.

[roamer65]

9. Britain can put tight controls on the Eurostar and the channel itself.

Pretty hollow threat from France, especially regarding the geography of the British side of the channel.

[Ironing Man]

10. not really...

if France has no interest in stopping people trying to get to the UK - and why should it, keeping them in France costs a fortune to police and turns its Channel ports into refugee camps - then people will use boats to cross the channel. just because there are cliffs at Dover doesn't mean there are cliffs everywhere, and moreover, the events in the Med over the summer prove that if enough bodies wash up, the countries that say they don't want migrants will eventually put a rescue fleet out into the sea to bring people to safety.

and asylum.

one of the things that reduces the number of refugees/migrants who attempt to get to the UK is the widespread knowledge among the migrants and smuggling gangs that the French will try to stop them, so a proportion who might otherwise choose to go the the UK decide not to, and go to Germany or Sweden instead. if you remove that barrier, even if another is placed on the beach at Worthing, that proportion may swing back towards the UK.

personally, it seems obvious to me that the concept of Asylum is flawed given the numbers involved (2 million into Germany in 18 months or so...) - perhaps it would be better, and politically more acceptable to host nations, if instead of 'you can come to X country, live within the host society and eventually become a citizen with the same rights and entitlements as everyone else', it became 'you can come to a safe place, you will be fed, sheltered, given medical attention, and your children will be educated - however as soon as its safe to do so, you must return to your country of origin'.

the UK goverment is accepting just 20,000 over 5 years, and even that is politically a hard sell because the UK population knows that they will be competing with those 20,000 for jobs, housing, school places and that once accepted for citizenship, those migrants will be entitled to have their family members join them in the UK. however, if the deal was that we accepted a much larger number, but that much larger number was accomodated in transitional, secure accomodation - say on MOD bases - and did not have the rights to stay and have family members join them, and that they would be repatriated when safe to do so, i personally think the heat would go out of the issue.

i suppose the crux is what you think Asylum means...

[Bad Dog]

11. Exactly

The people in Calais could claim asylum in France if they wanted to. They don't, they want to claim asylum in Britain. If the French let them on a ferry/train they'll be in Britain and can claim asylum. At the moment they can't.

I don't blame the French, if I was in their shoes it's exactly what eye would do.

Btw, they don't have Santa either. Pere Noel, or Father Christmas, just like us.

[Nihil]

16. Unfortunately, you are right.

Unlike the Med, the Channel is pretty easy to cross and that will be what
happens (it already does to a certain extent but that is kept pretty quiet).

Of course, when that happens there will be a serious backlash against anyone
attempting to get in - no "wet foot dry foot" law for the UK - and that could
easily spread to friction/antagonism to "suspected illegal immigrants" who are
already in the country ... not a good thing at all as it will lead to a seriously
polarised community - anyone not speaking English (especially if non-white)
will become a target.

I don't want to live in a Fortress Britain run by fascists ("V for Vendetta",
"Children of Men" and such like) any more than I want the current situation
to get any worse by opening the doors any wider.

The only thing that is keeping the migrant camps in France is the money that
the UK is paying France and that is only acceptable because we are in the EU.