Dover MP refuses to back fellow Tories' ‘invading migrants’ rhetoric
The Conservative MP for Dover has distanced herself from rhetoric used by fellow Tories in a letter to the home secretary, in which they referred to “invading migrants” amid an increasingly fraught debate over the rise in Channel crossings.
A group of 23 Conservative MPs and two peers on Monday wrote to Priti Patel to demand “stronger enforcement” efforts to combat a “surge in illegal immigration” as the number of arrivals in small boats surpassed the 4,100 mark so far in 2020.
Natalie Elphicke, whose Dover constituency has witnessed a significant proportion of the arrivals, has been pushing for tougher action and improved support from the French government, describing people “who break into our country”.
But appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday, Elphicke refused to condone the language used by her colleagues.
Asked if she would use the term “invading migrants”, she said: “That’s not my letter I didn’t sign it and I do not use the language you refer to. These are illegal entrants we could and should take action. We are looking to work with France and it’s essential here in Dover we put a stop to these small boat crossings.”
Appearing on the same programme, Lord Ricketts, a former ambassador to France, said the debate underlined the futility of Brexit rhetoric about “taking back control”.
He said: “It does show the hollowness of the rhetoric about ‘taking back control’ – this has to be done cooperatively with France. We have a had a long track record of good cooperation with the French.”
Boris Johnson was accused on Monday of scapegoating people who are risking their lives by crossing the Channel to seek asylum in the UK and using “inaccurate and inflammatory” language to describe their plight.
Humanitarian groups and charities criticised the prime minister for describing the migrant crossings as “very bad and stupid and dangerous and criminal”.
Chris Philp, the immigration minister, is to hold talks with French counterparts in Paris later on Tuesday to build on joint work already under way, as well as exploring options for tougher action in France, including stronger enforcement measures, interceptions at sea and the direct return of boats.
Philp told Sky News he would not comment on details of the plan to halt Channel migrants but said there were a “number of measures, some of them new, which are under discussion”.
He said it would be premature to talk about financial commitments at this stage because the plans were still being developed and finalised.
“Any border is a shared responsibility and the United Kingdom and France today renewed and reaffirmed their absolute commitment to make sure this border is properly policed and this route is completely ended,” he added.
It was initially reported Philp would be meeting with the French interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, but the Home Office has since insisted he was never due to meet ministers, only officials.
His meeting comes after the Home Office lodged a request with the Ministry of Defence for military assistance in tackling the issue. In a preliminary step, an RAF transport plane was dispatched and flew back and forth scouring the waters between south-east England and northern France.
