New French Refugee Camp Sparks Fears in UK Over Possible Influx of Migrants

© REUTERS / Philippe WojazerSudanese migrants gather amongst tents in a camp in Calais, December 17, 2014
Sudanese migrants gather amongst tents in a camp in Calais, December 17, 2014 - Sputnik International
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The UK fears a new camp for refugees coming to France from Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan and Eritrea may to become a refueling stop for illegal immigrants trying to get to Britain.

Migrants bed down for the night at a warehouse in Calais, northern France - Sputnik International
UK Beefs Up Security at French Illegal Migration Hotspot
MOSCOW, January 15 (Sputnik) — As a new migrant camp prepares to open in the French port town of Calais Thursday, fears are sparking in the United Kingdom over a likely new wave of migrants coming into the country illegally.

“It is bonkers for the Calais authorities to do anything which encourages migrants to come to their city, it’ll only create problems for us [in UK] next,” Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) Michael Ellis was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail Thursday.

While another Conservative MP, Philip Hollobone, earlier last year said the plans for a new camp were “completely unacceptable” adding that it would become “a refueling stop for illegal immigrants trying to get to Britain,” as quoted by UK's express online newspaper.

But Calais Mayor Natacha Bouchart said the town was under an "unbearable strain" from the highest number of migrants ever seen in the town. "We cannot stay with our arms folded," she was quoted as saying by Express.

Britain's Home Secretary Theresa May - Sputnik International
UK Boosts Security at British-French Border After Paris Attack
The new permanent day center in Calais, which was previously a children’s holiday camp, will begin serving up to 4,000 meals a day on Thursday to immigrants coming from conflict-torn Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan and Eritrea, according to media reports.

In December, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said it would cost about three million euros to run the camp each year, funded by the European Union to which Britain contributes via taxpayers.

Almost 12,000 attempted entries by illegal immigrants were recorded in the first four months of 2014 at UK ports and at Calais, the closest French town to the United Kingdom.

A Home Office spokesperson said in November the United Kingdom was making significant investments in ports in Northern France, where Calais is situated, to prevent migrants from illegally entering the country, 18,000 migrants blocked as of April 2014.

The United Kingdom is one of the most popular destinations for migrants due to perceived favorable social benefits, from free health care to a generous welfare system. Recently, there were some 2,500 African migrants in Calais seeking entry into the United Kingdom.

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