‘Treat as hostile act!’ EU blamed for UK’s migrant crisis after Britain blocked from talks
BBC's Adler warns EU to spiral into new migrant crisis
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France and Britain have been engaged in a bitter war of words over the perceived failure of French border patrols to prevent migrants making the dangerous crossing over the English Channel, which has claimed dozens of lives. Home Secretary Priti Patel had been due to meet with her counterparts from France, Belgium, and the Netherlands on Sunday but was uninvited by France after Mr Johnson publicly released a letter to Mr Macron outlining his proposals to address the migrant crisis.
The Prime Minister had used his letter to outline five steps the UK and France could take to deter migrants from making the dangerous trip across the Channel after 27 people died trying to make the journey.
Ms Patel quickly warned a failure to cooperate on European level would lead to “even worse scenes” in the Channel over the coming weeks.
Now Express.co.uk leaders have firmly pointed the finger of blame at the EU over the escalating migrant crisis.
Reacting to our initial story, Express reader Ronkneelives wrote: “Our own Brexit-hating Civil Service is working tirelessly to undermine its own country.
“No matter what the elected politicians decide the establishment will always be permanently wedded to Brussels.”
Fellow reader RufflesTheGuineaPig replied: “Our Government cannot deal with the migrant problem until they accept that WE are the EU’S solution to THEIR migrant problem.
“We need to treat what they are doing as the hostile act it is.”
In a separate comments, EUTHESINKINGSHIP said: “The problem lies on the borders of the EU and the shambolic Schengen agreement.”
Additionally, Express reader k895379w1z commented: “Hold back fishing licences until the EU and France start to see sense.”
The row escalated further on Monday after Mr Johnson was accused by France’s interior minister of making a “mockery” of British-French relations and told to “take responsibility” for the migrant crisis after last week’s fallout.
Gerald Darmanin claimed the Prime Minister had acted in a “peculiar” fashion by deciding to post on Twitter his proposals to Mr Macron suggesting solutions to the small boat crossings in the Channel.
The minister told French broadcaster BFMTV: “When there are serious diplomatic exchanges, and lives that are at stake, and some minutes later you see that a letter, which no-one has ever mentioned before, is published on Twitter from the British Prime Minister to the President of the French Republic before the President of the Republic has received it, it’s a bit peculiar.
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“When in this letter the English say the French should ‘take back their migrants, all their migrants’, it’s a mockery.”
Follwing this interview, Mr Darmanin also tweeted: “When Mr Johnson says that France must ‘take back its migrants’, what he is actually asking us is that France exonerate him from all responsibility in matters of reception.
“The UK government must take responsibility for its own responsibilities.”
Downing street has urged France to sign off on a on a returns agreement to allow the UK to send people back to France who have had their asylum claims rejected.
Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said: “The single biggest deterrent, the single biggest step we could take together with the French would be a returns agreement, as the Prime Minister set out last week.
“But we are already taking steps through our Nationality and Borders Bill to reduce the pull factors to the UK and make our asylum system firmer but fairer.”
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