The leader of the French region that includes the Channel port of Calais said Monday he wants a new system for handling asylum-seekers trying to reach Britain from France.
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Senior government sources issued the warning after leading French politicians called for the unravelling of a 2003 deal under which British border checks take place in Calais.
“I’m demanding the opening of a centre in Britain to deal with asylum seekers in Britain, so that Britain can do the work that concerns them”, Mr Sarkozy told a political rally in Touquet in northern France.
U.K. and French authorities will boost intelligence sharing, work more closely on investigations and push for stronger regulations on weapons, the two countries said in a joint statement Tuesday after U.K. Home Secretary Amber Rudd and her French counterpart Bernard Cazeneuve met in Paris.
Mr Bertrand does not have the power to change the treaty but several of the candidates looking to win next year’s French presidential election, including former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, support his idea that it be either reformed or annulled.
“It’s a really serious situation and that’s why we need to have a new treaty between Britain and France to deal with these problems once and for all”.
The government said it was committed to working together to protect the shared border in Calais and insisted there was “an excellent relationship with the French government on these issues”.
Asked about reports that the United Kingdom may withdraw security co-operation with France if it tears up the agreement on Calais, a Downing Street spokesman said: ” France is one of our most important allies in Europe and I wouldn’t get drawn on speculation about some suggestions that we may or may not be withdrawing co-operation. It would simply force the ferries and Tunnel to become border guards – meaning higher ticket prices and longer queues.
An aerial view of the “jungle” camp at Calais where NGOs estimate more than 9000 migrants live.
Labour’s shadow home secretary Andy Burnham also called on Theresa May to “disown” the comments urging for a security policy change with France.
He said he has sent Mrs Rudd two reports, one calling for the Royal Navy to bolster patrols along the south coast to intercept people smugglers and another urging the dismantling of the Jungle.
“Would just make Calais a bigger magnet for migrants”.
France’s Socialist government, including Cazeneuve and President Francois Hollande, have repeatedly said they will respect the Le Touquet agreement which, if dropped, could spur the flow of refugees fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa through France to Britain.
The Dover MP is due to have a meeting with ministers in the next couple of weeks to discuss the plans in more detail.
Sarkozy’s conservative rival Alain Juppé, who opened his presidential bid on Saturday and is considered the frontrunner in their party’s presidential primaries, has called for the Le Touquet accord to be renegotiated.
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Earlier this month, local councils in the United Kingdom said they should be involved in assessing the needs of child migrants in Calais before they arrive in the UK.
