Latest news with #ZakGarnerPurkis
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Chris Philp pelted with bottles and has knife pulled on him during trip to French migrant camp
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said he had a large knife pulled on him and was 'pelted with bottles' during a visit to a migrant camp in northern France. During a trip with Daily Express journalist Zak Garner-Purkis, the Conservative MP attempted to speak to asylum seekers living in tents near Dunkirk, as they waited to cross the English Channel in small boats. After attempting to speak to a group of Eritreans and a man carrying lifejackets, he is approached by Mr Garner-Purkis, who informs him that a man with a 'rather large knife' has walked behind them. In the clip, Mr Philp says: "I found it pretty shocking - you said behind me somebody had pulled out some sort of machete and we left pretty quickly." Mr Garner-Purkis says the man was "swinging it around in the air", adding: "It was clear he was doing it to send a message to the other people there - whether it was a case of 'don't speak'." Shortly afterwards while walking along the road recounting the incident to the camera, objects can be seen being thrown at them. Mr Garner-Purkis says "they are throwing bottles at us" and Philp responds: "Right, we've got to go. In a post on social media, the Croydon South MP said: 'We were attacked today at the migrant camp dubbed 'The Jungle 2' just outside Dunkirk. 'We were threatened with a machete, pelted with bottles & our car hit as we sped off. 'Those responsible are likely to be in the UK soon in a taxpayer funded hotel. This border madness must end.' In another video, he filmed a group of migrants boarding a bus while French police appear to be standing by showing 'complete inactivity'. He said: 'I just found French Police actively facilitating illegal immigration. 'The officers - likely UK funded - are ushering illegal immigrants onto a public bus to take them towards boat embarkation points. I took this shocking footage in Gravelines, northern France, an hour or so ago.' More than 50,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel since Labour won the 2024 general election. Home Office figures show 474 migrants arrived by small boat on Monday alone, which brings recorded arrivals to 50,271 since the election on July 4 2024. Labour former home secretary Baroness Smith of Malvern had said earlier on Tuesday that reaching the milestone is 'unacceptable'. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Labour's promise to 'smash the criminal boat gangs' in its manifesto last year was 'just a slogan', with crossings now 'so much worse' than they were before the vote. There have been 27,029 arrivals so far this year, which is 47 per cent higher than at the same point of 2024 when the figure stood at 18,342, and 67 per cent higher than at the same time in 2023 (16,170). Earlier this month, the government began detaining migrants under a new 'one in, one out' deal with France. UK officials aim to make referrals for returns to France within three days of a migrant's arrival by small boat, while French authorities will respond within 14 days. An approved asylum seeker in France will be brought to the UK under a safe route as part of the exchange.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
I had knife pulled on me in migrant camp, says Conservative shadow minister
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp has said he was pelted with bottles and had a knife pulled on him while speaking to migrants in a camp in northern France. The Conservative MP posted a video on social media discussing the incident with Daily Express journalist Zak Garner-Purkis who has accompanied him on his visit to France. In the clip, Philp says: "I found it pretty shocking - you said behind me somebody had pulled out some sort of machete and we left pretty quickly."Mr Garner-Purkis says the man was "swinging it around in the air" adding: "It was, clear he was doing it to send a message to the other people there - whether it was a case of 'don't speak'." In the video, the two men are recounting the incident while walking along the side of a road at which point objects can be seen being thrown at them. Mr Garner-Purkis says "they are throwing bottles at us" and Philp says: "Right, we've got to go." Philp has said he has been visiting the north coast of France to "find out more about what's happening on the ground with the illegal migration crisis".The number of people trying to get to the UK by crossing the English Channel in small boats has been increasing for around eight 2018, when figures were first recorded, more than 170,000 people have arrived in small 2022, 45,755 made the journey, in 2024 it was 37,000 and as of 11 August this year, 27,029 people have arrived in the a bid to reduce numbers, the Labour government has taken steps to "smash the gangs" that organise crossings including spending £100m to fund 300 National Crime Agency officers to tackle has also reached a 'one-in, one-out' agreement to send some arrivals back to France and in exchange, the UK will take in asylum seekers in France who have not tried to make the Conservatives have criticised the government for scrapping their Rwanda plan which aimed to send arrivals to the East African country where they would have had their asylum applications this week, Philp said: "Labour tore up our deterrents before they were even in place, and the results are there in black and white."When I went to the Channel to see Labour's France returns deal in action, the truth was obvious. Within half an hour of arriving off the French coast, I watched two packed dinghies being escorted into UK waters. Every illegal migrant should be removed immediately upon arrival."
