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| Channel Tunnel: David Cameron 'very concerned' by Calais crisis | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The UK government will do everything it can to combat the migrant crisis in Calais, David Cameron has said. | |
| Speaking as the UK confirmed an extra £7m funding for new fencing at the Channel Tunnel terminal in France, the prime minister said the situation was "very concerning". | |
| About 2,000 migrants tried to enter the Channel Tunnel terminal in Calais on Monday night in a bid to reach the UK. | About 2,000 migrants tried to enter the Channel Tunnel terminal in Calais on Monday night in a bid to reach the UK. |
| The Freight Transport Association called for the Army to be brought in. | |
| It comes as a number of people were injured on Monday after migrants tried to enter the Calais railhead in a bid to get to the UK, a spokesman for Eurotunnel said. | |
| The incursion was the biggest in the past month and a half, the spokesman added. | The incursion was the biggest in the past month and a half, the spokesman added. |
| 'Every sympathy' | |
| Speaking in Singapore, the prime minister said Home Secretary Theresa May would chair a meeting of the government's emergency committee, Cobra, about the crisis later. | |
| "I have every sympathy with holidaymakers who are finding access to Calais difficult because of the disturbances there and we will do everything we can to work with the French to bring these things to a conclusion," Mr Cameron said. | |
| "There's no point trying to point fingers of blame, it's about working with the French, putting in place these additional security measures, adding in the investment where that's needed - Britain will always come forward with that." | |
| A Home Office spokesman said an additional £7m funding - outlined by the Home Secretary earlier this month - will pay for 1.2 miles of new fencing at the Eurotunnel site at Coquelles. | |
| Work to put up fencing began earlier this month and is due to be completed this week, the Home Office added. | |
| The incident caused serious delays to Eurotunnel train services - with passengers held up for about an hour on the British side and 30 minutes on the French side on Tuesday, French news agency AFP reported. | The incident caused serious delays to Eurotunnel train services - with passengers held up for about an hour on the British side and 30 minutes on the French side on Tuesday, French news agency AFP reported. |
| Kent Police reintroduced Operation Stack following the incident, leading to long delays for lorries on sections of the M20 near the Channel Tunnel. | Kent Police reintroduced Operation Stack following the incident, leading to long delays for lorries on sections of the M20 near the Channel Tunnel. |
| A spokesman for Eurotunnel - which manages and operate Channel Tunnel services - said migrant incursions were now "an almost nightly occurrence". It is an issue for the government to "sort out", the spokesman said. | A spokesman for Eurotunnel - which manages and operate Channel Tunnel services - said migrant incursions were now "an almost nightly occurrence". It is an issue for the government to "sort out", the spokesman said. |
| "We need them to stop the migrant flow from Calais but it appears to be too much for them to handle," he added. | "We need them to stop the migrant flow from Calais but it appears to be too much for them to handle," he added. |
| 'The way forward' | |
| However, UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the Army should be drafted in to help search vehicles coming into Britain for illegal immigrants. | However, UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the Army should be drafted in to help search vehicles coming into Britain for illegal immigrants. |
| Don Armour, head of international affairs at the Freight Transport Association, backed his calls, saying: "They're trained and they would know what to do. | Don Armour, head of international affairs at the Freight Transport Association, backed his calls, saying: "They're trained and they would know what to do. |
| "It may not be the way forward that would be approved. But perhaps it could be one of a number of solutions that the government might like to consider because we could be talking about people's lives," he told BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight programme. | "It may not be the way forward that would be approved. But perhaps it could be one of a number of solutions that the government might like to consider because we could be talking about people's lives," he told BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight programme. |
| Eight migrants have died this summer trying to reach Britain through the Channel Tunnel. | Eight migrants have died this summer trying to reach Britain through the Channel Tunnel. |
| The home secretary held talks on the migrant issue with French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve on Tuesday, saying the two governments were working "in close collaboration and cooperation on this issue". | The home secretary held talks on the migrant issue with French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve on Tuesday, saying the two governments were working "in close collaboration and cooperation on this issue". |
| "We are both clear that we need to ensure we are dealing with the terrible criminal gangs, the people smugglers, who are making a profit out of the human misery of many people," Mrs May added. | "We are both clear that we need to ensure we are dealing with the terrible criminal gangs, the people smugglers, who are making a profit out of the human misery of many people," Mrs May added. |
| 'We work together' | 'We work together' |
| Confirming the £7m investment, she said French authorities have also committed extra resources to security at Calais. | Confirming the £7m investment, she said French authorities have also committed extra resources to security at Calais. |
| Asked why British taxpayers should be paying for a problem taking place on French soil, she said: "We have juxtaposed controls at the border. We work together on dealing with this particular problem." | Asked why British taxpayers should be paying for a problem taking place on French soil, she said: "We have juxtaposed controls at the border. We work together on dealing with this particular problem." |
| Earlier this month, Mrs May announced that a new secure zone will be created at Calais for UK-bound lorries in response to an unprecedented surge in migrants attempting to cross the Channel. | Earlier this month, Mrs May announced that a new secure zone will be created at Calais for UK-bound lorries in response to an unprecedented surge in migrants attempting to cross the Channel. |
| AFP says an official count at the beginning of July found that about 3,000 migrants - mainly from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan and Afghanistan - were camping in Calais and trying to get across the Channel. | AFP says an official count at the beginning of July found that about 3,000 migrants - mainly from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan and Afghanistan - were camping in Calais and trying to get across the Channel. |
| Have you been affected by the issues in this story? Are you travelling by Eurotunnel? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Have you been affected by the issues in this story? Are you travelling by Eurotunnel? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |