Harriet Harman urges Cameron to demand compensation from the French government over Calais crisis

Harriet Harman has written to the David Cameron to urge him to ask the French government to pay compensation to Britons affected by the chaos at Calais.

In a letter to the Prime Minister (the full text of which you can find below), Labour’s interim leader argues that the government has ignored warnings from Labour and hauliers about the growing crisis at Calais.

There are thought to be over 3,000 people living in a ‘migrant camp’ in Calais and over the past week thousands of refugees have attempted to access the Channel Tunnel, resulting in one man being killed.

Harman has noted that the Freight Transport Association estimates the cost to the haulage companies at £700,000 a day and that there are reports of other businesses being affected. Harman also says self-employed people and holidaymakers have also been affected and writes “it is wrong for UK businesses and families to face these costs given border security failures in France.”

She urges Cameron to ensure discussions with the French Government “include a request for compensation backed up by any diplomatic pressure that may become necessary. Compensation should cover all losses.”

Here is the full text of the letter:

Dear Prime Minister,

For months now, the Government has ignored repeated warnings from Labour and hauliers about the growing crisis at Calais.

The Road Haulage Association has made clear the impact of the current crisis on the UK haulage industry. Furthermore, the Freight Transport Association estimates the cost to the haulage companies caught up in the operation to be £700,000 a day. There are also reports of other businesses having been affected, including in the fresh produce, pharmaceutical, tourism and hospitality industries, not to mention the self-employed and holidaymakers.

It is wrong for UK businesses and families to face these costs given border security failures in France. Your discussions with the French Government should therefore include a request for compensation backed up by any diplomatic pressure that may become necessary. Compensation should cover all losses.

Over the last few days, your approach has been devoid of any serious solution to the crisis. You have failed to initiate any diplomatic pressure on the French Government to assess asylum claims and make sure proper immigration procedures are followed. Instead you have chosen to inflame the situation with incendiary and divisive language, which will serve only to escalate the problem.

I hope that you will now undertake the urgent diplomatic effort with France and our other European partners to bring the crisis to a close, as well as setting out what steps you intend to take in the long-term to tackle the problems of people trafficking and the refugee crisis.

Because of the high level of public concern about the scenes at Calais and the effect on UK businesses and holidaymakers, I am releasing this letter to the media.

Yours sincerely,

Harriet Harman