Cameron accused of treating migrants like ‘insects’ after blaming Calais crisis on ‘swarm’ of people from Africa

Cameron accused of treating migrants like ‘insects’ after blaming Calais crisis on ‘swarm’ of people from Africa

  • Row after PM blamed a ‘swarm of people coming across the Mediterranean’
  • Labour’s Harriet Harman says he ‘is talking about people, not insects’
  • Andy Burnham ‘says no dog-whistle these Bullingdon Boys won’t blow’
  • Refugee Council accused Cameron of ‘awful, dehumanising language’
  • UN blasts ‘xenophobic’ demands for migrants to be kept out of Britain

By Matt Chorley, Political Editor for MailOnline

Published: 09:19 GMT, 30 July 2015 | Updated: 16:15 GMT, 30 July 2015

David Cameron sparked a major political row today after describing hundreds of migrants in Calais as a ‘swarm’.

Labour’s acting leader Harriet Harman said the Prime Minister should remember he is talking about ‘people, not insects’ as tensions mounted over the government’s response to the crisis.

But political opponents accused him of ‘dog-whistle’ politics and the Refugee Council condemned the ‘awful, dehumanising language’.

Mr Cameron told ITV News: ‘This is very testing, I accept that, because you have got a swarm of people coming across the Mediterranean, seeking a better life, wanting to come to Britain because Britain has got jobs, it’s got a growing economy, it’s an incredible place to live.

‘But we need to protect our borders by working hand in glove with our neighbours the French and that is exactly what we are doing.’

He should remember he is talking about people, not insects

Acting Labour leader Harriet Harman

Acting Labour leader Harriet Harman said the Prime Minister appeared to want to whip people up against the migrants.

She told BBC News: ‘He should remember he is talking about people, not insects.

‘I think it’s a very worrying turn that he appears to be wanting to be divisive and set people against, whip people up, against the migrants in Calais when what he should have been doing, and should have been doing months ago and was warned to be doing, is to get the situation sorted out with the French.’

Ms Harman dismissed calls for the British Army to be sent in to sort out the problem.

‘I don’t think there should be any question of us sending in our army. The French themselves have got troops as well as a large police force.’

Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham wrote on Twitter: ‘Cameron calling Calais migrants a ‘swarm’ is nothing short of disgraceful.

‘Confirms there’s no dog-whistle these Bullingdon Boys won’t blow.’

The Refugee Council described Mr Cameron’s remark as ‘awful, dehumanising language from a world leader’.

The council’s head of advocacy Lisa Doyle further added: ‘It’s extremely disappointing to hear the Prime Minister using such irresponsible, dehumanising language to describe the desperate men, women and children fleeing for their lives across the Mediterranean Sea.

‘This sort of rhetoric is extremely inflammatory and comes at a time when the Government should be focused on working with its European counterparts to respond calmly and compassionately to this dreadful humanitarian crisis.’

The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) said it was ‘extremely concerned’ by Mr Cameron’s language.

‘To refer to desperate human beings as a ‘swarm’ is demeaning and ignites the flames of xenophobia,’ said the JCWI in a statement.

‘Such ‘tabloid style’ language is unnecessary and demeaning. Any continued rhetoric on such a sensitive subject will undo decades of race relations work in the UK. It will also undermine our respect and standing in the world.’

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: ‘By blaming ‘migrant swarms’ for the current crisis in Calais, David Cameron risks dehumanising some of the world’s most desperate people. We are talking about human beings here, not insects.

‘By using the Prime Minister’s language, we lose sight of how desperate someone has to be to cling to the bottom of a lorry or train for the chance of a better life.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3179750/Cameron-accused-awful-dog-whistle-politics-describing-Calais-migrants-swarm.html#ixzz3hOxxGekq
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook


Hongrie: construction d’une barrière anti-migrants à la …

Hungarian police use tear gas to break up clashes at migrant camp

Ungheria : un muro in più ; Ágnes Heller + correlati

Questa voce è stata pubblicata in antifascismo, nave di lazzaro, schiavitù e capitalismo e contrassegnata con , , . Contrassegna il permalink.