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Close the tunnel ?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I see my beloved French are giving up policing their side of the tunnel, they've effectively wandered off and left a free for all.

Whilst I understand to an extent people determined to get into our country represent an impossible battle for them, it is now ineviatable people will get hurt and possibly killed, yet again when the going gets tough, the French fuck off.

Anyway, my post is more of a question, how important is the tunnel for trade ?

What would be the economic impact of bricking the bloody thing up ? Its nothing but trouble.

How would you go about policing it ?

Without, French police, with their powers under their law, what can be done ?????

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    We need proper border guards like other countries have.

    We need other ways of monitoring the trains, and possibly a way of deterring people from hopping onto them, perhaps by making the inside of the tunnel baking hot, or elctrifying the undersides of carriages. once they realise that they won't make it here alive, perhaps they'll give up.

    As for the French, trust them to adopt a "it's not my problem attitude", they need a good kick up the arse.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Nice stereotyping of a whole nation there boys, lovely <IMG SRC="rolleyes.gif" border="0" ALT="icon">
    Its nothing but trouble.
    it's not that bad really is it!

    <IMG SRC="confused.gif" border="0" ALT="icon">

    What we need is an EU summit on the matter to sort out a joint policy ans establish an effective system for dealing with the "problem" of asylum seekers and economic migrants.....
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'll let you into a little secret. Those of us who live near the English end did suggest that we just connect it to the local sewage system. <IMG SRC="biggrin.gif" border="0" ALT="icon">

    As for the general question. The media are over playing the tunnel issue, when they report that 100 people were caught attempting to get across they insinuate that this number actually made it. That's not what appears to be the case here.

    Admittedly Dover has a larger ethnic minority than ever before and that has bred the usual amount of hatred (usually based on ignorance) but generally there hasn't been a huge influx of people into the area...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Toadborg:
    <STRONG>Nice stereotyping of a whole nation there boys, lovely <IMG SRC="rolleyes.gif" border="0" ALT="icon">

    it's not that bad really is it!

    <IMG SRC="confused.gif" border="0" ALT="icon">

    What we need is an EU summit on the matter to sort out a joint policy ans establish an effective system for dealing with the "problem" of asylum seekers and economic migrants.....</STRONG>


    YEah, but nothing will happen until the French co-operate. We aren't stereotyping a whole nation, just the powers that be.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sounds like a 'race war' is brewing in the ol pirate kingdom...imagine that!

    As for the French...well, you have to admit that it is really clever of them to 'allow' their problem children from saudi elsewhere to escape to your fair shores...gone at last, bon voyage! And don't come back without english pounds to spend!

    OTOH you could just flood the dam thing and call it a day!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Why do we need border guards? no other EU country does on 'internal' boarders. If the french just stopped the immagrants from hoping off teh tankers at Marsielle then there wouldn't be this problem.

    At least there is a common asylumn and border policy in the pipeline which means we don't have to waste the millions and the 15years of planning.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Whowhere:
    <STRONG>As for the French, trust them to adopt a "it's not my problem attitude", they need a good kick up the arse.</STRONG>

    I have the same feeling about them too. And they probably laugh at us to see we struggling with the asylum seekers problems.

    I think the news today said some more illegal immigrants were hiding in a truck or something through the tunnel again! Its really worrying.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    it was quite expensive to dig, and it took bloody ages.

    it's not like trains seem to run in this country anyway...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    With the latest antics of the French, the train companies are going out of business..

    On the news tonight, EWS reported that they had only run 2 trains in the last few days..The usual number is 20 odd per night.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Balddog:
    <STRONG>With the latest antics of the French, the train companies are going out of business..

    On the news tonight, EWS reported that they had only run 2 trains in the last few days..The usual number is 20 odd per night.</STRONG>


    And as soon as the last trains come back from France they are going to stop running trains altogether until the problem is sorted out.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    some more illegal immigrants were hiding in a truck or something through the tunnel again! Its really worrying.

    I couldn't sleep last night because of those guys in the truck, they scare the shit out of me! <IMG SRC="rolleyes.gif" border="0" ALT="icon">
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Nice Kick:
    <STRONG>I think the news today said some more illegal immigrants were hiding in a truck or something through the tunnel again! Its really worrying.</STRONG>

    and how do we know they were hiding?

    Because they were caught! Why worry about them now?

    I'm not going to pretend that no illegals get through, but everytime you hear aout trouble at the tunnel it is becuase they are stopped from getting through, not becuase people are actually making it to this country.

    I think you'll find that more are caught than ever get through...media hype is a dangeous tool...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Can someone answer this for me, I am genuinely interested. If these people are fleeing persectution, how come it is only men, and mostly young men too? Surely you wouldn't just leave all the women and kids..unless you were an economic migrant.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    unless you were an economic migrant
    most of them are but the papers call them "illegal asylum seekers" to make them sound bad because thats the only way they can get into the country, who gives a toss!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by PussyKatty:
    <STRONG>Can someone answer this for me, I am genuinely interested. If these people are fleeing persectution, how come it is only men, and mostly young men too? Surely you wouldn't just leave all the women and kids..unless you were an economic migrant.</STRONG>

    Because most of them aren't fleeing persecution, if they are and are leaving their own flesh and blood behind their a fucking disgrace <IMG SRC="mad.gif" border="0" ALT="icon"> In the main they are just here for an easier life at our expense.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Because most of them aren't fleeing persecution, if they are and are leaving their own flesh and blood behind their a fucking disgrace In the main they are just here for an easier life at our expense.
    how can you possibly believe such bollocks, if they are economic migrants then they are looking for JOBS not handouts, it is a well known fact (I thought <IMG SRC="rolleyes.gif" border="0" ALT="icon"> ) that economic migrants often send all their surplus wages back to their families. I think it is quite admirable they are willing to give up so much to try and pay for a better life for their kids.......
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yes but after 6 months when you get a NI number then you can work, besides even when you can't, man ywork in factories illegally.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Toadborg:
    <STRONG>how can you possibly believe such bollocks, if they are economic migrants then they are looking for JOBS not handouts, it is a well known fact (I thought <IMG SRC="rolleyes.gif" border="0" ALT="icon"> ) that economic migrants often send all their surplus wages back to their families. I think it is quite admirable they are willing to give up so much to try and pay for a better life for their kids.......</STRONG>
    I agree. Our society is just not set up for economic migrants...and that leads to intolerance in some communities. Asylum seekers are sent to areas of social deprivation anyway, so there is a perceived threat to the locals that the aslyum seekers are scroungers.

    Even if we initiated a system similar to the German "gastarbeiter" one whereby immigrants are allowed to work, but do not become full citizens then we would be making progress.

    As things stand there is a lot of tension, and something active needs to be done to better integrate these people into society...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Integration is certainly the key, but how?

    I think English language courses offered by the state would overcome 1 major obstacle....

    We must also try to avoid geographic segregation of different communities, not sure how though without controlling the housing market....

    Definately no faith schools, how can that help if the Catholics grow up only knowing catholics and the Muslims only grow up knowing Muslims?!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Toadborg:
    <STRONG>Integration is certainly the key, but how?
    I think English language courses offered by the state would overcome 1 major obstacle....
    We must also try to avoid geographic segregation of different communities, not sure how though without controlling the housing market....
    </STRONG>
    All of that. Plus better treatment for the asylum seekers on entry and better opportunities to find work.
    Once the job market is opened up to them, the benefits sytem can be overhauled so that they are no longer seen as spongers.
    <STRONG>Definately no faith schools, how can that help if the Catholics grow up only knowing catholics and the Muslims only grow up knowing Muslims?!</STRONG>
    You really do have major problems with religion don't you.
    Certainly schools that only let in pupils from a religious background are a bad idea. But that includes the Islamic schools as well as the Catholic ones. Selection should never be done by parental faith anyway - faith is a personal thing and I disagree with interviews for entry which ask about faith.

    My primary school had a church attached to it, yet it did not specify religion as an entry requirement. I think taking religion out of education is not necessarily going to stop the intolerance. But religion should never be an entry requirement. And that goes for all religions, the minority ones too...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't mean to harp on baout religion, it is just a point that came to mind...
    But religion should never be an entry requirement.
    so you agree with me that the current system (which favours those that practise the religion) is wrong, cos thats what I mean when I say faith school.....
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Toadborg:
    <STRONG>so you agree with me that the current system (which favours those that practise the religion) is wrong, cos thats what I mean when I say faith school.....</STRONG>
    Yes.

    But as I said, my primary school was officially a C of E school, and the local church was involved - they run joint summer fayres and the like. The end of term assembly is held at the church, and the vicar does occasional assemblies at the school.

    The school does not select on the basis of parental religion, and religion was never overtly preached at us.

    I see nothing wrong with that. Whether you like it or not, churches are at the centre of many communities, expecially rural ones.

    As long as the school does not exclude those without religion, or of different religions then I think it is fine to have a religious basis. I can't see the harm.
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