Why Does It Take The 'right' (The Far Right Maybe) To Come Up With A Sensible Answer To An Escalating Problem?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2807465/Illegal-immigrants-trying-reach-Britain-turned-Calais-lawless-jungle-says-French-far-right-leader-Marine-Le-Pen.html

/// Marine Le Pen seized on escalating tensions in the town by calling for the urgent reintroduction of internal border controls that have been banished across much of Europe. ///

[Canary42]

I think you'll find the Far Left can be just as effective.

[New Judge]

I think the main difference though, Canary, would be that the "Far Left" would be calling for even more porous borders, even more assistance to be given to illegal migrants, some of whom are currently turning Calais into a war zone, and an ever increasing burden on the taxpayer who is ultimately paying for the entire mess.

"Far Right" groups tend to prefer the maintenance of law and order and to provide facilities for law abiding citizens to go about their business unfettered by criminals. They prefer to determine who does and does not enter the country and eject those who arrive illegally.

Ms Le Pen is absolutely correct in calling for a tightening of internal borders within the EU. Much of the problem in France has come about as a result of the ridiculous Schengen agreement which abolished those (already porous) borders. The French signed up to that agreement despite warnings that it would lead to exactly the sort of problems they are experiencing now. The cause of the situation in Calais is not the UK's generous benefits system (though that does not help). It has come about because migrants, particularly from Africa, can gain easy foothold into Europe, usually via Italy, and once there Europe is their oyster. Italy makes a great play of "being proud to welcome them" then quickly ushers them across the border into France.

It's an utter mess. I visit or pass through Calais four or five times a year and was there in July. However it is now a place I shall not be visiting in the foreseeable future. The effect the migrants have had upon the town is profound and whilst I rarely have sympathy for the French I do feel a little for the people of Calais who have seen their town (and much of their livelihood) destroyed. But that’s the benefits of the EU’s “freedom of movement” for you.

[Canary42]

By Far Left I was thinking of places like North Korea New Judge, I don't think you'll find their borders particularly porous.

[agchristie]

Interesting NJ, is it not a tad surprising that in those elections last March, the party only secured 14% of the Calais Town Hall vote? Has the situation drastically changed since then? Locals would surely be more moved to vote if the situation is so bad?

[mushroom25]

Canary, the OP said "sensible", not "effective".

on that basis - unless you believe kim jong un to be a wholly common sense type chap, your response is offside.

[Gromit]

Is it a sensible answer?

Bringing down Europe's internal borders is extremely convenient for Europe's indigenous citizens.

It speeds up commerce and trade. It boosts travel and tourism. It makes the lives of hundreds of millions of Europe's citizens much easier.

And the French National Front want to inconvenience millions of people because a few thousand illegal immigrants have abused the system.

[New Judge]

Sorry, canary, by "Far Left" I thought you meant the LibDems, the Labour party and many factions among the Tories :-)

The result of the local election in Calais is surprising, agchristie. Whether the outcome would be any different if an election were held now is hard to say. Whether a different result would alter things in Calais is slightly easier to answer - it won't. But I believe the situation has deteriorated markedly in the last 12 months. In the past I used to have an overnighter in Calais and enjoyed some of the restaurants and bars in the town centre. I stopped staying there about two years ago and now only pass through. Cite de Europe used to be a fairly decent place to stop as it is a little way out of the town but even there the car park and surrounding roads are frequented by so many ne’er-do-wells it is simply unpleasant.

The last time I was there in July (just driving through) the town centre was awash with foreign vagrants and I saw an ugly confrontation involving about fifty men in the Bleriot Plage area. Roads leading to the port are as good as off limits as every roundabout and junction has dozens of young men just hanging around. You really don't want to get caught in any traffic on your way to the boat. It is now an extremely uncomfortable place to be, so much so that, as I said earlier, I am unlikely to go there even to pass through unless the situation changes.

[agchristie]

Thanks NJ, a bleak picture indeed...

[jourdain2]

It is a lot more expensive to go by Chunnel - but we shall be paying that if we have to, in order to avoid Calais in future.

What I can't understand is why the French are so inactive. They were fast enough to evict the Romas, with National Guard support. It just isn't the French way to tolerate and contain all this. Baffled and expecting a ruckus any time (but Hollande is so unpopular that he has frozen and dare not make a move).

I am worried. I really think that the N.F. could very well win the next election in France. Can everyone stop shouting please! They are by NO means as moderate as UKIP. (This is true.)

This may shock some of you, but I hear what is going on and even the most sensible French people (e..g. my neighbour who is a lovely, honest, ex-farmer and gets on fine with us, no problem) are contemplating voting for the National Front. There is no other party which will tackle the problem.

[New Judge]

The problem for me, jourdain, is that the crossing is part of my day out or break. I enjoy having a meal on the boat and doing a bit of shopping. Le Shuttle provides a bog and a light bulb and is not very pleasant.

I don't need to go to France. I just go there for pleasure. But there is no pleasure in running the gauntlet of a load of armed foreign vagrants. I know that in my small car I am of no particular interest to them, but from my observations it is clear that it would not take much for some real trouble to kick off into which will get sucked some innocent bystanders.

I'm not easily put off by difficult situations but I don't fancy the prospect of getting involved in a load of aggro because of these people. I'm sure I'm not alone and the advantages for the millions to which Gromit refers are being massively outweighed by this situation. (Incidentally, far from there being a "few thousand" illegal immigrants there are many tens of thousands. The small Italian island of Lampesdusa has "welcomed" 120,000 arrivals so far this year alone).

With the events in Calais (storming of the port, mass incursions into restricted areas, boarders having to be repelled with hosepipes) my view is that this is nothing short of an invasion. The problem is not confined to Calais, though that seems the worst example.

The principle of free movement of people and the enabling Schengen agreement was introduced to facilitate the movement of citizens of the member states. It was not designed to allow people who have no right to be in Europe to roam freely across the continent. It is high time these arrangements are revisited because it is clear the advantages they bring are being outweighed by the problems they bring.

[jourdain2]

Thank You N.J.. We both have the same experiences. Yes, this is spoiling trips and we are not too keen on the Tunnel, but it looks as if this is the only route since Boulogne closed (we stay overnight at the B&B hotel Boulogne) and then get the morning ferry or train - from now it will be train).

I agree with you on all the other points you made. The Schengen agreement needs to be revisited urgently. I repeat my message about how worried I am about the feelings of 'France profonde' (there is a lot of it!). I have finally sold my house, OH's house is good and on the market ' tres cheap' It is time to depart, may take a year or so. Don't know when it will happen, but there will be a violent reaction to all this and innocent incomers could get caught up in it.
I really hope that I am wrong.