Amber Rudd is set to dig in her heels and fight for British borders in Calais as she visits France in her first trip as home secretary
Home secretary Amber Rudd is set to dig her heels in to defend British borders in Calais as senior French politicians call for existing agreements to be reviewed.
Rudd will visit Paris tomorrow in her first trip overseas as home secretary, just days after former French President Nicolas Sarkozy questioned the agreement, known as Le Touquet, which allows UK border officials to operate in France.
In a speech this weekend, Sarkozy said: “Those who are here in Calais and who want to cross to England should be processed in England by the English.”
Sarkozy's comments were followed by the president of the Calais region Xavier Bertrand, who said migrants should be able to claim asylum in Britain from France.
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Rudd will meet her counterpart Bernard Cazeneuve in Paris tomorrow to discuss security, and a Home Office spokeswoman said the government remains committed to fighting to maintain the existing border deal.
“The French government have repeatedly made it clear that removing the juxtaposed controls would not be in the interests of France,” they added.
Most recently, French President Francois Hollande said in a joint press conference with Theresa May that the existing rules should not be changed.
However, Hollande faces a re-election battle next year, with Sarkozy running against the Socialist to lead the republic.