Calais migrant crisis: UK and France to sign deal for increased security

Home secretary Theresa May will travel to Calais on Thursday to sign a deal with French interior minister Bernard Cazeneue on tackling the migrant crisis.

 

 

The ministers will agree to increase security measures for preventing migrants from using the Eurotunnel as a route between the two countries, and will meet charities that provide support to migrants. 

 

The exact details of the deal have not been made public, but it is understood that options for increased humanitarian aid will also be considered. 

 

 

Thousands of migrants have attempted to make the journey into the UK over the last few months, mainly originating from countries such as Syria, Afghanistan and Eritrea. 

 

Since the beginning of the year, Eurotunnel has blocked an estimated 37,000 people from crossing, but it admitted last month that stopping everyone had become a “phenomenon which is beyond our means". 

 

The UK government has already offered France £7m to help build security fences, but police at Calais argued these measures were only a “short-term solution”. 

 

Earlier this month, foreign secretary Philip Hammond confirmed the UK would commit 100 more guards to the French side of the Eurotunnel terminal. Speaking after a meeting of the government's emergency committee, Cobra, he said measures were “already having an effect”.