Channel Tunnel migrant crisis: David Cameron accused of “playing politics” by Swedish justice and migration minister Morgan Johansson
Scenes of migrants trying to enter the Channel Tunnel in their thousands are the result of the UK and France not taking “responsibility” for accepting more asylum seekers, the Swedish justice and migration minister has said.
Prime Minister David Cameron, Morgan Johansson said, is “playing politics” with the migrant crisis in Calais.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Johansson took issue with how Cameron has used the word “illegal” when referring to asylum seekers before they have been through the asylum process, who he said were looking for a basic human right.
Read more: UK and France call on EU for support
The Swedish minister said he heard what Cameron is “saying about illegal immigrants and about swarms and everything like that.” But he added:
I think he's playing on strings – that he wants to actually divide people – and that's not a constructive way.
In the year ending March 2015, 10,346 asylum seekers were granted asylum or “an alternative form of protection,” compared with 30,000 asylum seekers being accepted in Sweden.
Cameron said last week the UK will not become a safe haven for migrants, warning those entering illegally would be removed from the country.
The comments from Johnansson come on the same day Theresa May, the home secretary, wrote in the Sunday Telegraph called on the EU to help find a long term solution to the “global migration crisis.”
Thousands of migrants have tried to access the Eurotunnel in the last week, with nine dying in the process. Eurotunnel have previously said they can not handle the burden alone, calling on more support from the French and British governments.