Would The French Ever Agree To Solving The Migrant Problem?

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59423245
...This would fix it in short order but I can't see the French agreeing, too much like common sense.

[Bobbisox1]

Macron is spitting his dummy out over the well meaning letter from our PM,SK I’d say the answer would be No Tora

[Bobbisox1]

No SK ….so
My keyboard does that if I write so ( weird)

[dannyk13]

If by the French you mean Macron then no.

[ToraToraTora]

The thing is they started in France and they'll go back and pretty quickly it would get round that it's pointless risking life and limb on lilo and paying some parasite for the privileged, when you'll be bounced right back. Net result, no deaths and the same amount of migrants in France. If the French cannot see the sense in that then they are little better than the people smugglers themselves

[rowanwitch]

Not in the French interests They want them to leave and be someone else's problem.

[vulcan42]

No, but then if the thousands of travellers wanted to continue to Ireland from the UK would we stop them?

[ToraToraTora]

of course rowan but once word got round, it'd be pointless going to Calais or France generally if the aim is UK. They'd go to another country so that would get rid of the problem for them too. The difficulty is getting them to see it.

[Barmaid]

If we issue all the migrants with a consignment of british cargo, the french will soon stop them then.

[drmorgans]

"... well-meaning letter" from Bozo? By leaking the letter he was trying to bounce the French into doing what he wants to do. Bozo doesn't do "well-meaning", he does what is in his own interests.

[Stickybottle]

Of course not
It is easier for them to ignore/assist the migrants into our waters
Never to be returned

[davebro]

Maudits sauvages...

[ichkeria]

Yes of course it would help greatly
As would joint patrols
The problem sadly at the moment is that Macron and Johnson have seriously fallen out. I'm not blaming one or other for that but plainly the thing for the PM to do is NOT to talk at the French via the media
("let us send armed police to your shores", "PM calls on France to take back migrants")
That is just not the way to do it. I don't know if it would work but the way to approach this is in a way that's politically acceptable for all sides. Talking behind the scenes and not polluting the pitch with soundbites. Politics is the art of the possible, not who shouts loudest across the water. Both governments need their heads banging together.

[ichkeria]

They also called on France to close its border with Belgium I think a short while back

[jno]

ichkeria, apparently he didn't just "leak" he letter, he tweeted it publicly.

He can't seriously think this is a way for international leaders to do business. Understandably, Macron's told him to take a hike, so whatever result he really wanted, he's got the opposite.

[ichkeria]

Appalling.
That is why we really need a serious leader - I cannot imagine say Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove or indeed a lot of others being so obtuse.
Solskjaer lost the dressing room at Man U and was sacked, A lot of it was probably the players fault, just as there certainly has to be some blame attached to the French. But it's results that matter, regardless of where the blame lies.

[Ken4155]

Johnson's always had a spot of bother with French letters.

[jno]

I suppose the upside is that while Boris is stoking up war with France he's had to leave Covid in the hands of people like Javid. So with the new variant we've had flights from affected countries stopped instantly, without the usual week's wittering and dithering that Boris has employed before, letting viruses take hold here.

[Gromit]

Why don’t the UK solve their migrant problem themselves, instead of always expecting other countries to do it for us ?

[bobbinwales]

And how would UK do that Gromit. Unless we're allowed to have troops patrolling the beaches of France how can we stop them leaving?

[douglas9401]

Mr Johnson is playing his Trump card.