Hastings MP in Paris for security talks

The Home Secretary met her French counterpart Bernard Cazeneuve to discuss the threat of terrorism in both countries and problems arising from the number of migrants waiting in Calais looking to enter the UK.

Calls have been made to scrap the Le Touquet agreement, which allows the UK to carry out border checks in Calais, while France can do the same in Dover.

In a joint statement the two ministers pledged to continue ‘close cooperation’ to resolve the situation in Calais by further securing the ports and tunnel, cracking down on organised crime gangs, addressing the humanitarian challenge of 7,000 migrants waiting in the port, working together to return illegal migrants who are not in need of protection, and bringing unaccompanied asylum seeking children to the UK when it is in their best interest.

They said: “We are committed to working together to strengthen the security of our shared border, to strongly diminish the migratory pressure in Calais, and preserve the vital economic link supported by the juxtaposed controls in Calais.”

France has seen two terror attacks in the last year, with a series of deadly shootings in Paris last November, while 86 people celebrating Bastille Day in Nice were killed when a truck deliberately drove into the crowds.

The two ministers said their respective security and intelligence agencies would continue to strengthen links through sharing of intelligence and closer working on investigations, and they would also deepen collaboration on radicalisation, support better control of weapons within the EU, prioritise information sharing between all member states, and call for the reinforcement of external borders.

The statement added: “We look forward to our countries’ collaboration on these and other important issues in the months and years to come.”

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