CALAIS

The leading contender for the French presidency, Alain Juppe, has called for the Le Touquet agreement to be renegotiated so that border checks are carried out in Britain rather than France and so moving the migrant camp in Calais to the UK (HERE). This was something the leave campaigners told us would not happen because it was a bilateral agreement and nothing to do with the EU.

CALAIS IN THE NEWS AGAIN

French lorry drivers and farmers are beginning a protest today about the migrant camp in Calais and they they want the French government to close it down (HERE).

I am not in the least surprised. If such a camp was on British soil full of migrants wanting to get to France we can only imagine the uproar in parliament and the press all demanding it be closed down. I think by the time Brexit happens the camp, or something very much like it, will be in the UK.  The processing of claims will be done here and not in France.

CALAIS CAMP LOOKS INCREASINGLY PROBLEMATIC

Both candidates in next year's French presidential election have voiced concerns about the migrant camp in Calais and have proposed renegotiating the agreement. Nicholas Sarkozy has suggested the camp should be relocated to the UK (HERE) and (HERE).

Brexiteers seem to think this isn't going to happen but I would bet on it.  Why would France put themselves through the kind of thing that is happening around Calais when we have just snubbed the EU project that is so close to their heart?  I don't think we can expect much fraternity in future.

UK Border force warn thousands of illegal immigrants could land in Dover if French border control is closed

The Daily Mail, after campaigning tirelessly for months and dismissing any warnings as scaremongering, is now reporting that the UK Border Agency will struggle to cope if the border controls in Calais are moved to Dover (HERE).

It suggests migrant camps could spring up along England's south coast.  In 2015 the agency caught 30,629 attempts in just three months.  It is not hard to imagine that France will simply waive them through and the numbers will grow.

French presidential candidate calls for UK border to be in the UK not in Calais

Alain Juppe has called (HERE) for an end to the bilateral agreement that keeps asylum seekers and economic migrants in Calais and allows the UK to operate border controls on the French side of the channel.

Calais Mayor calls for border to come back to the UK

When someone suggested the UK border controls in Calais might have to come back to Dover, Vote Leave airily dismissed it as scaremongering and said it was a bilateral agreement that had nothing to do with the EU.

I am sure this is true but if you poison the relationship between the UK and the EU it is likely to affect everything and anything.

Now the mayor of Calais is suggesting (HERE) the 6000 refugees and immigrants stuck at the Sangatte camp should be able to travel to the UK before being checked.  Who can blame him?  What advantage is it to local French people to have this problem on their soil when they can simply let anyone that wants to travel get on a ferry to Dover?