'They want to come to YOUR country' Belgian minister blames UK for EU's migration woes
BELGIUM’S firebrand immigration minister has placed an extraordinary level of blame on “beautiful” Britain for Europe’s immigration woes ahead of a visit to a number of the country’s main ports on Monday.
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Theo Francken insisted the “British way of life” plays a huge role in the decision undertaken by would-be asylum seekers planning on taking the treacherous journey from either the Middle East or Africa to Europe.
He has called for Belgium and Britain to sign a bilateral deal, which could see millions of pounds sent to the Continent in order to handle illegal migration.
Speaking to Express.co.uk in Brussels, he demanded the British do not hide behind Brexit during European Union-wide discussions on how to tackle the contentious issue of migration.
Mr Francken is currently leading a crackdown on illegal immigrants, mainly from Iraq, in the Belgian capital of Brussels, the beating heart of the EU.
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Your country, the British way of life, is really the push factor
He said: “We try to get them to return to Iraq. But, now they say they don’t want to return, they want to go to the UK.”
The controversial immigration minister added migrants crossing into Europe “all want to go to your country because you don’t have identity cards, you have very lucrative black markets and you have a lot of English-Speaking migrants from those communities”.
“Your country, the British way of life, is really the push factor,” he declared.
Having already met with Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Mr Francken is preparing to tell Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes she will not be able to hide behind Brexit and illegal attempts to enter Britain will not stop after the UK’s EU divorce.
The Belgian minister said: “For me, it is nothing to do with Brexit because you’re not even in the Schengen area.
“Even though there’s a Brexit, there will still be migrants trying to go to the UK. It won’t stop because you’re out of the European Union, the European Union has nothing to do with this.”
Ms Nokes and Mr Francken will meet at a gathering of EU home affairs ministers in Luxembourg in two weeks time.
While member states argue amongst themselves, Mr Francken is hoping to agree a bilateral migration agreement between Britain and Belgium, similar to the one signed between Theresa May and Emmanuel Macron in January.
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“I will meet my UK colleagues in Luxembourg in two weeks and we hope to have an agreement because we are really demanding the UK does more for the border protection of the Brugge port,” he said.
“We need a UK and Belgium bilateral as soon as possible because the problem is really increasing, and Britain has to want to help us out.
“They are really all trying to get into your country.”
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In his new book ‘Continent without Borders’, Mr Francken describes Nigel Farage’s ‘Breaking Point’ poster – which displayed a group of male migrants crossing into Europe – as the “turning point” for British voters on Brexit.
The Belgian minister told a Brussels audience: “This really was a turning point and why people voted for Leave, even blue collar workers from Birmingham.”
He later described the campaign tactic as a “very smart communication” from Mr Farage and Ukip, adding: “I’m not saying I agree but it was a smart move from his point of view.”
Mr Francken has previously received public backlash in Belgium for his tough immigration policies. In January, 2,000 people took to the street in protest against his plans to raid homes suspected of housing illegal migrants.
