News

Local MEP Richard Ashworth who had expressed fears about a planned welfare centre for migrants in Calais is now backing the facility after visiting the town this week.

The Conservative South East MEP, had previously said he was concerned the centre would encourage immigrants to try to enter the UK.

Five years after the Sangatte refugee camp closed it is estimated there are still up to 1,000 migrants sleeping rough in and around the French port every night.

The new centre has been dubbed "Sangatte 2" but the Calais mayor says it will be different because it lacks sleeping facilities and will provide only food, showers and information.

"The mayor's office wants the current welfare sites that are spread out around Calais to be brought together in one place," the mayor's spokesman Denis Duvot has said.

Mr Ashworth, when asked if the plan got his support said: "Yes I think it does because I think that the authorities in Calais find themselves in a totally impossible situation.

"They didn't ask to have these people here."

Dover Labour councillor Ben Barno said the new centre would give a "modicum of human dignity" to rough sleepers in Calais.

Mr Barno, who is involved in assisting migrants in Calais, said: "I think we owe it to them and should not get terribly concerned about the centre being a replacement for Sangatte."