Perhaps Britain has always had a problem knowing who their friends are !!

[evoman3957]

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/495638/We-ll-buy-migrants-ferry-tickets-to-Britain-says-Calais-depu...

[cee-dee]

If they're that flush with money, why don't they buy them tickets back to where they came from or at least the border of the country they crossed to get in to France.

[upthecreekyetagain]

Don't you just love newspaper headlines!

Headline:- "We'll buy migrants ferry tickets to Britain", says Calais deputy mayor

Truth:- “The mayor is very angry and frustrated. She has even said in the past that she would like to buy all the migrants tickets to the UK and load them into a ferry and dump them in England.”

[evoman3957]

If my memory of history serves me well, during WW11, half the French collaborated with the Germans, forming the Vichy Government and the other half came running over here ( along with their leader De Gaul ). We then ( along with others ) landed in Normandy and proceeded to get their Country back for them..........at great sacrifice to us and others. So this deputy Mayor of Calais, either means what She says; or doesn't mean what She says..........either way, these are part of the European family some people in this Country want to be part of..........short memories, ungrateful and unhelpful.

[joe_bloggs*]

http://www.scrapbookpages.com/Natzweiler/History/FrenchResistance.html
I've read a few books about the resistance fighters in various countries during WW11,The French fought well often aided by the British S.O.E. .I don't think they are ungrateful,in fact over the years the French invited many surviving British agents to their towns and villages to express their continuing gratitude,some British agents I,m sure got better treatment and recognition in other countries than they did in their own

[cee-dee]

A lot of French people were and still are very grateful for what we did during WW2 but the same can't be said for some of their opportunist politicians.

After De Gaulle got back to France, he more or less told some of the British to clear off!!!

[astrologica]

We can't blame the French for wanting to offload their 'problem'. And we can't blame the migrants for wanting to come here for a better life. We can only blame ourselves, or specifically our Government, for making it so nice and easy and cushy when they get here. It's no wonder they pass through all those countries without asking for asylum.....they won't get the benefits there that they know they will get here. It's depressing.

[evoman3957]

I agree with the above comments, it's not the French People Per Se, it's some of the **bleep** Political types ( got Family that have lived in France for 45 Years ). I agree about De Gaulle ( no friend of ours ) and I agree with Astro........depressing problem and situation, that doesn't look as if it's going to get rectified any time soon.

[merehazle]

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@astrologica wrote:
We can't blame the French for wanting to offload their 'problem'. And we can't blame the migrants for wanting to come here for a better life. We can only blame ourselves, or specifically our Government, for making it so nice and easy and cushy when they get here. It's no wonder they pass through all those countries without asking for asylum.....they won't get the benefits there that they know they will get here. It's depressing.

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Yes Astro. How right you are.

The real tragedy is the sacrifices that so many families like yours and mine made in two world wars, my grandmother lost four brothers in WWI, and it has counted for nothing. We have given away the country they fought to preserve. Though the EU/ Germany dominates Europe.

Meanwhile our country has been given over to every third world freeloader that wants to come in and so many of us are now strangers on our streets. And at Calais they still amass.

They say about 1,500 and nearly all young men are at Calais. Well where are there families? The old, the disabled, the wifes, the children ? Back there fending for themselves and waiting for this lot like so many others before them to send money back from their hard earn't (where?) benefit cheques? Or to be called to take up residence in our houses?

No... they should have been stopped long, long ago.  Who the hell is going do what's necessary in their own countries if so many of  their young men are here?  We had to try to sort it out here after the wars and mostly we damn well did. Running away was not an acceptable option for us.  If they don't stop this NOW how on earth will it ever end?

BTW I thought I heard right that about 50 are successful bunking on the lorries every week. No bent lorry drivers of course?

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[upthecreekyetagain]

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@astrologica wrote:
We can't blame the French for wanting to offload their 'problem'. And we can't blame the migrants for wanting to come here for a better life. We can only blame ourselves, or specifically our Government, for making it so nice and easy and cushy when they get here. It's no wonder they pass through all those countries without asking for asylum.....they won't get the benefits there that they know they will get here. It's depressing.

---

Are you saying that our benefit system makes life 'nice and easy and cushy' for those relying on it!

Maybe we need to cut benefits even more.

[astrologica]

Creeky....once they get here, they get a roof over their head, food, education and medical care..none of which they would probably get where they come from. So yes....life is nice and easy for them compared to their home countries. No-one can blame them for wanting to come here...we would all probably do the same in their shoes. But this country cannot support unlimited immigration. We have a chronic housing shortage. Where I live all the schools with playing fields are being closed and the buildings razed to the ground. The land is then sold to developers who cram as many houses as they can onto the site. So if we don't call a halt to it now, when do we?
The population of the UK is expanding fast...too fast.

[upthecreekyetagain]

Astro - how do illegal immigrants, (remember this is what those currently in Calais will be if they manage to smuggle themselves into the UK will be), manage to get a roof over their head, food and education for their children other than by working illegally?

Those entering legally, (such as EU citizens), do not get greater benefits than UK citizens so I still fail to see how you can claim that our benfit system makes life "nice and easy" for them if it is not also doing the same for everyone on benefits. 

Nobody is disputing that life in the UK will in most cases be better than in their country of origin, (why else would they want to come here), but to claim it is because our benefit system makes life easy for them can only be true if it also makes life easy for UK citizens on benefits because once they are here they will have the same needs and expenses as everyone else.

[bankhaunter]

The study by University College London said recent immigrants were less likely to claim benefits and live in social housing than people born in Britain.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24813467

[astrologica]

Life on benefits can be quite good for those who know how to play the system, otherwise there wouldn't be so many who are happier doing so than getting a job and working for a living. I personally know people who live quite nicely on benefits...far better than I do in fact, and I worked right up to retirement age.
Some of those unfortunates now in France waiting for the opportunity to get here will probably work illegally, but others among them will claim asylum and be looked after by the state.

[saasher2012]

Also Astro unlike us they don't contribute before they get it , I'd like to see us try that in these other countries! Just turn up & with nothing & get everything handed to us on a plate& if caught get sent back in a nice plane after being fed , sheltered & clothed & kept by us, don't think we would get the same treatment in their countries, oh no that's right that's why they are coming here, silly me! lol.

[upthecreekyetagain]

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@saasher2012 wrote:
Also Astro unlike us they don't contribute before they get it , I'd like to see us try that in these other countries! Just turn up & with nothing & get everything handed to us on a plate& if caught get sent back in a nice plane after being fed , sheltered & clothed & kept by us, don't think we would get the same treatment in their countries, oh no that's right that's why they are coming here, silly me! lol.

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Not really true is it - far more non-immigrants enter the system and receive benefits not having paid in a penny than do immigrants - just look at all the maternity wards!

[cee-dee]

There shouldn't be ANY should there?

I recently watched a 10 year old episode of Traffic Cops and they'd caught an illegal driving who'd already been here, caught and removed 4 times so I wonder if he's been back again? He said he had every intention of doing so.

Got any figures to show how many "legals"  versus illegals enter the system?

[saasher2012]

The NHS was set up for poor people it's hardly our fault that the government allows it to be abused! & as far as I know & I'm sure your going to tell me if I'm wrong it wasn't put into use for immigrants legal or otherwise, when we enter another country it is our responsibility to take out insurance in case of illness if we don't we have to pay!.

[upthecreekyetagain]

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@cee-dee wrote:

There shouldn't be ANY should there?

I recently watched a 10 year old episode of Traffic Cops and they'd caught an illegal driving who'd already been here, caught and removed 4 times so I wonder if he's been back again? He said he had every intention of doing so.

Got any figures to show how many "legals"  versus illegals enter the system?

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100% agree regarding illegal immigrants - there is no question in my mind that on discovery they should immediately be taken into detention and removed at the earliest opportunity.

Any figures regarding illegal/legal immigration can only ever be guesstimates surely.

[upthecreekyetagain]

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@saasher2012 wrote:
The NHS was set up for poor people it's hardly our fault that the government allows it to be abused! & as far as I know & I'm sure your going to tell me if I'm wrong it wasn't put into use for immigrants legal or otherwise, when we enter another country it is our responsibility to take out insurance in case of illness if we don't we have to pay!.

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Travel anywhere in Europe and you are entitled to free use of their emergency health service.

As regards others in need of health care I'm not sure what you are suggesting - would you leave an illegal immigrant to die because they hadn't paid into our national insurance scheme?