Britain and France need 'showdown' over Channel crossing Calais mayor says as she dubs UK 'Eldorado' for migrants

5 September 2024, 13:43

France and Britain need a showdown over Channel migrants the mayor of Calais has said as she claims people were being drawn to 'Eldorado" Britain because of its lax approach to black market work.

Natacha Bouchart said France would have to confront Britain over it if they were to stop migrants trying to cross the Channel.

On Tuesday, at least 12 migrants died when their dinghy, crammed with some 65 people, broke up and sank three miles off the French coast. Ten of the dead were women including one who was pregnant and six were “minors”. Most are thought to be from Eritrea. Only eight of the 65 were wearing lifejackets.

Gerald Darmanin, the French interior minister, who has also criticised the UK’s lax labour laws for fuelling the crossings, called for a new treaty that would allow migrants to claim asylum in the UK from the EU.

Referring to English labour legislation and the number of British smugglers, Ms Bouchart said: “We’re suffering from this hypocrisy.

“At some point, we’re going to have to have a showdown with this government” to avoid “in fifty years’ time (being) still at the same level, with people wanting to go to England because it continues to be an El Dorado."

Didier Leschi, Director of the French Office of Immigration and Integration (Ofii), said: “The issue for England is to have an internal system that appears to be an El Dorado - and probably wrongly so - since it’s a country where you can work very easily without having a residence permit.”

El Dorado is a mythical city or country of riches that is said to be located in South America. The name comes from the Spanish phrase “el dorado”, which translates to “the golden”

A manslaughter investigation has been opened in Tuesday’s deaths which meant that at least 37 people have died in Channel crossings so far this year, compared with 12 for the whole of 2023. The worst previous incident was in November 2021 when 27 people died after their inflatable dinghy capsized.

Judicial police supported by gendarmes are actively searching for Tuesday's smugglers, who are thought to have charged those on board the equivalent of £1000-a-head for a place on the boat, which was just 26ft long.

On Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesman said: “The Prime Minister is appalled by the horrific deaths in the Channel, and we reiterate what the Home Secretary said yesterday that this is a painful reminder of the violence these gangs deploy to take advantage of vulnerable people.

“We have no plans to be part of an EU scheme on asylum, but we will continue to work with European partners to shut down people smuggling, and smash these criminal gangs.”