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| Calais migrant crisis: Theresa May in Calais as 'command centre' announced | Calais migrant crisis: Theresa May in Calais as 'command centre' announced |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Home Secretary Theresa May is touring Calais after a command centre to tackle the migrant crisis was announced. | |
| It will be jointly run by British and French police to target criminals trafficking migrants into France and the UK, the Home Office said. | It will be jointly run by British and French police to target criminals trafficking migrants into France and the UK, the Home Office said. |
| Two senior officers, one English and one French, will lead the centre - each reporting to their own government. | Two senior officers, one English and one French, will lead the centre - each reporting to their own government. |
| About 3,000 migrants are thought to be camped in Calais hoping to cross the Channel into Britain. | About 3,000 migrants are thought to be camped in Calais hoping to cross the Channel into Britain. |
| The Home Office said the joint command centre, which will also incorporate the UK Border Force, would enable greater collaboration between countries. | The Home Office said the joint command centre, which will also incorporate the UK Border Force, would enable greater collaboration between countries. |
| It is yet to comment on how many British police officers will be posted to Calais. | It is yet to comment on how many British police officers will be posted to Calais. |
| Ms May began her visit with a tour of the Eurotunnel site in Coquelles with French Interior Minister Bernard Cazenueve to inspect security measures. | Ms May began her visit with a tour of the Eurotunnel site in Coquelles with French Interior Minister Bernard Cazenueve to inspect security measures. |
| She said there had been been "an excellent level of cooperation" between British and French governments, but wider efforts in Europe were also needed. | She said there had been been "an excellent level of cooperation" between British and French governments, but wider efforts in Europe were also needed. |
| She vowed to break criminal gangs involved in trafficking, and said she wanted to break the link between people leaving Africa and getting settled in Europe, BBC reporter Simon Jones said. | She vowed to break criminal gangs involved in trafficking, and said she wanted to break the link between people leaving Africa and getting settled in Europe, BBC reporter Simon Jones said. |
| The new command centre is part of a deal between the UK and France to co-operate over the ongoing problem of illegal migration. | The new command centre is part of a deal between the UK and France to co-operate over the ongoing problem of illegal migration. |
| Other measures expected to be included in the new agreement are: | Other measures expected to be included in the new agreement are: |
| The two countries will work together to dismantle smuggling networks and prosecute those responsible, the Home Office said. | The two countries will work together to dismantle smuggling networks and prosecute those responsible, the Home Office said. |
| The UK government has already spent £7m on new fencing in and around Calais, but details of the latest deal have not yet been released. | The UK government has already spent £7m on new fencing in and around Calais, but details of the latest deal have not yet been released. |
| Former director general of the UK Border Force, Tony Smith, said a joint British-French command structure would allow authorities to gather much more intelligence on people smuggling networks. | Former director general of the UK Border Force, Tony Smith, said a joint British-French command structure would allow authorities to gather much more intelligence on people smuggling networks. |
| However, former Home Office minister and Ashford MP Damian Green said the causes of migration needed to be tackled, as well practical measures to "keep the roads running". | However, former Home Office minister and Ashford MP Damian Green said the causes of migration needed to be tackled, as well practical measures to "keep the roads running". |
| "Particularly countries that aren't torn by civil war but just have desperate economic conditions, you can help them, that's the root cause of the problem." | "Particularly countries that aren't torn by civil war but just have desperate economic conditions, you can help them, that's the root cause of the problem." |
| Asylum applications up | Asylum applications up |
| The situation in Calais is part of a much larger migration issue in Europe. | The situation in Calais is part of a much larger migration issue in Europe. |
| More than 240,000 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean already this year, arriving on the shores of Greece and Italy. | More than 240,000 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean already this year, arriving on the shores of Greece and Italy. |
| Germany and Sweden have seen a sharp rise in asylum applications, with the German government saying it expects 800,000 applications by the end of this year. | Germany and Sweden have seen a sharp rise in asylum applications, with the German government saying it expects 800,000 applications by the end of this year. |
| Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at Oxford University, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that compared to 200,000 asylum applications in Germany last year, the UK had just over 30,000. | Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at Oxford University, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that compared to 200,000 asylum applications in Germany last year, the UK had just over 30,000. |
| The UK government faced challenges from a policy perspective in trying to distinguish between illegal immigrants and asylum seekers, and "there won't be a 100% success rate", she said. | The UK government faced challenges from a policy perspective in trying to distinguish between illegal immigrants and asylum seekers, and "there won't be a 100% success rate", she said. |
| Migrant crisis | Migrant crisis |
| Read more: Why is there a crisis in Calais? | Read more: Why is there a crisis in Calais? |