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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Calais migrant crisis: 'French government should offer compensation' | Calais migrant crisis: 'French government should offer compensation' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Labour's acting leader has written to David Cameron calling for compensation from the French government for UK people affected by the Calais crisis. | Labour's acting leader has written to David Cameron calling for compensation from the French government for UK people affected by the Calais crisis. |
| Harriet Harman said people and businesses should not bear the cost for "border security failures". | |
| But Downing Street said pointing the finger of blame was not the right way to find a solution. | |
| Calais migrants are making nightly bids to cross the Channel. The UK and France have pledged to tackle the issue. | Calais migrants are making nightly bids to cross the Channel. The UK and France have pledged to tackle the issue. |
| Mr Cameron has already offered extra sniffer dogs and fencing for Calais. | |
| 'Divisive language' | 'Divisive language' |
| In her letter, Ms Harman said the UK government had "ignored repeated warnings" about the worsening situation at Calais. | |
| She said it was "wrong" for UK businesses and families to pay costs resulting from the ongoing problems. | |
| And she called on Mr Cameron to request compensation from the French government "backed up by any diplomatic pressure that may become necessary", saying it should cover all losses. | |
| Ms Harman also criticised Mr Cameron for his use of the word "swarm" when describing migrants trying to reach the UK. | Ms Harman also criticised Mr Cameron for his use of the word "swarm" when describing migrants trying to reach the UK. |
| "Over the last few days, your approach has been devoid of any serious solution to the crisis," she wrote. | "Over the last few days, your approach has been devoid of any serious solution to the crisis," she wrote. |
| "You have failed to initiate any diplomatic pressure on the French government to assess asylum claims and make sure proper immigration procedures are followed. | "You have failed to initiate any diplomatic pressure on the French government to assess asylum claims and make sure proper immigration procedures are followed. |
| "Instead you have chosen to inflame the situation with incendiary and divisive language, which will serve only to escalate the problem." | "Instead you have chosen to inflame the situation with incendiary and divisive language, which will serve only to escalate the problem." |
| 'Hand-in-glove' | |
| Ms Harman said she hoped Mr Cameron would make an "urgent diplomatic effort" with France and other European countries and asked him to say how he planned to deal with people trafficking and the "refugee crisis" in the long-term. | |
| But a Downing Street spokesman said the prime minister was keen to have a constructive relationship with the French. | |
| The spokesman said the government "sympathises" with hauliers and businesses and that he is "doing everything possible to get things moving again". | |
| Mr Cameron spoke with French President Francois Hollande on Friday night about the situation in Calais and the two governments are working "hand-in-glove", he added. | |
| The UK is offering to replace green mesh fencing at the Eurotunnel entrance perimeter in Coquelles with solid fencing of the type normally seen at Nato summits, in addition to more Border Force search and dog teams. | The UK is offering to replace green mesh fencing at the Eurotunnel entrance perimeter in Coquelles with solid fencing of the type normally seen at Nato summits, in addition to more Border Force search and dog teams. |
| French Police said about 800 migrants gathered near security fencing at Calais on Friday night, and about 300 made it into "secure" areas. | French Police said about 800 migrants gathered near security fencing at Calais on Friday night, and about 300 made it into "secure" areas. |
| Officers said it was a quieter night than others recently, but they acknowledged dozens of migrants may have made it on to lorries and into freight carriages in trains. | Officers said it was a quieter night than others recently, but they acknowledged dozens of migrants may have made it on to lorries and into freight carriages in trains. |
| There have been thousands of attempts by migrants to access the Eurotunnel terminal this week. | There have been thousands of attempts by migrants to access the Eurotunnel terminal this week. |
| A man believed to be Sudanese was killed on Tuesday night while attempting to make the journey. He is the ninth person to have been killed trying to access the the tunnel since the start of June. | A man believed to be Sudanese was killed on Tuesday night while attempting to make the journey. He is the ninth person to have been killed trying to access the the tunnel since the start of June. |
| Migrants told the BBC's Gavin Lee they were exhausted after days of attempts to access the Eurotunnel terminal. | Migrants told the BBC's Gavin Lee they were exhausted after days of attempts to access the Eurotunnel terminal. |
| More than 600 French riot police are in Calais, working with local police. | More than 600 French riot police are in Calais, working with local police. |
| 'Increasing casualties' | 'Increasing casualties' |
| Jerome Vignon, who has been working on a report about migrants in France, said they were unlikely to be deterred by extra security measures. | Jerome Vignon, who has been working on a report about migrants in France, said they were unlikely to be deterred by extra security measures. |
| He said many migrants had travelled for 18 months to reach Calais, by which time they had "suffered a lot and they are out of cash" and were determined to reach the UK. | He said many migrants had travelled for 18 months to reach Calais, by which time they had "suffered a lot and they are out of cash" and were determined to reach the UK. |
| "So increasing security will be increasing casualties, I'm afraid," he said. | "So increasing security will be increasing casualties, I'm afraid," he said. |
| In the UK Operation Stack, under which lorries queue on the M20 in Kent due to cross-Channel delays, has been reduced from junctions eight to 11 coastbound to junctions eight to nine. | In the UK Operation Stack, under which lorries queue on the M20 in Kent due to cross-Channel delays, has been reduced from junctions eight to 11 coastbound to junctions eight to nine. |
| Kent Police said the approximate waiting time for freight to reach the front of the queue was currently three hours for ferries and one hour for the Eurotunnel. | Kent Police said the approximate waiting time for freight to reach the front of the queue was currently three hours for ferries and one hour for the Eurotunnel. |
| Travel latest | Travel latest |
| BBC travel information | BBC travel information |
| Calais crisis: Advice for travellers | Calais crisis: Advice for travellers |
| Are you in Calais? Are you affected by the issues raised in this story? Please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. | Are you in Calais? Are you affected by the issues raised in this story? Please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. |
| 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: |