How feeble! David Cameron attacked for 'sticking plaster' response to Calais crisis after he announces plans for a few extra sniffer dogs and better fences 

  • Prime Minister admitted an entire summer of misery is on the way as one of the biggest holiday weekends began
  • Families were stranded in queues for hours in France and England and the M20 once again became a lorry park
  • Mr Cameron held emergency Cobra meeting as hundreds of migrants once again laid siege to the Channel Tunnel
  • MPs and haulage bosses said PM's response showed he and his officials 'don't have a clue' about scale of the crisis

By James Slack and Daniel Martin for the Daily Mail

Published: 16:19 EST, 31 July 2015 | Updated: 17:06 EST, 31 July 2015

David Cameron is under fire for a ‘sticking plaster’ effort to tackle the Calais migrant crisis after admitting an entire summer of misery is on the way.

The Prime Minister came under attack as one of the biggest holiday getaway weekends of the year began with scenes of bedlam in France and England.

Families were stranded in queues for hours, the M20 was once again turned into a lorry park and smoke billowed in Calais as French workers set fire to tyres in a wildcat strike.

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Brazen: Migrants make their way along train tracks, close to the Eurotunnel at Coquelles in Calais, France, as the crisis continued today
Brazen: Migrants make their way along train tracks, close to the Eurotunnel at Coquelles in Calais, France, as the crisis continued today

Brazen: Migrants make their way along train tracks, close to the Eurotunnel at Coquelles in Calais, France, as the crisis continued today

Bold: The group of young men and women, most of whom try to cover their faces, make a dash for a nearby freight train parked on tracks

Bold: The group of young men and women, most of whom try to cover their faces, make a dash for a nearby freight train parked on tracks

Desperate search: Migrants hover by a cargo train in Calais, France, as they make a final plunge to find a way of getting to Great Britain

Desperate search: Migrants hover by a cargo train in Calais, France, as they make a final plunge to find a way of getting to Great Britain

Perilous: A group of men check out the possibility of climbing on board a cargo train as dusk fell over Calais, France, this evening

Perilous: A group of men check out the possibility of climbing on board a cargo train as dusk fell over Calais, France, this evening

Delays: Tourists wait beside their vehicles inside the Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles as they faced more delays amid the ongoing crisis

Delays: Tourists wait beside their vehicles inside the Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles as they faced more delays amid the ongoing crisis

Mr Cameron held an emergency Cobra meeting in London as hundreds of migrants once again laid siege to the Channel Tunnel, taking the total number of attempts to break through to 5,000 this week.

He warned: ‘This is going to be a difficult issue right across the summer.’

But his five-point plan for restoring order, including sending extra sniffer dogs and fences to France, was immediately denounced as a ‘sticking plaster’.

And the company which supplies sniffer dogs to the Home Office said it had not been contacted about providing extra resources.

MPs and haulage bosses said Mr Cameron’s response showed he and his officials ‘don’t have a clue’ about the scale of the crisis.

His proposal to increase capacity on ferry routes which avoid Calais was dismissed as a ‘red herring’ by the UK Chamber of Shipping. In a bitter blow to holidaymakers, it added: ‘There is virtually no scope to change destination due to limited capacity in other ports.’

Last-ditch attempt: As the sun went down over Calais, France, this evening, the silhouette of a desperate migrant is seen climbing over a flimsy wire fence

Last-ditch attempt: As the sun went down over Calais, France, this evening, the silhouette of a desperate migrant is seen climbing over a flimsy wire fence

Dangerous: A man looks through an exit gate at the Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles where hundreds of migrants have made attempts to cross through

Dangerous: A man looks through an exit gate at the Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles where hundreds of migrants have made attempts to cross through

Precarious walk: A group of migrants, including a young child, walk along the side of a road leading to the Eurotunnel terminal in Calais

Precarious walk: A group of migrants, including a young child, walk along the side of a road leading to the Eurotunnel terminal in Calais

Hopes for a better future: A woman holds her daughter close as they walk along the dangerous bank of a busy carriageway in Calais today

Hopes for a better future: A woman holds her daughter close as they walk along the dangerous bank of a busy carriageway in Calais today

Last-hope: A group of migrants watch Gendarmerie activity by an exit gate at the Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles as they continue their attempts to get across

Last-hope: A group of migrants watch Gendarmerie activity by an exit gate at the Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles as they continue their attempts to get across

Keeping an eye out: A group of men, most with their faces covered, sit at the side of a road near an exit gate for the Eurotunnel terminal

Keeping an eye out: A group of men, most with their faces covered, sit at the side of a road near an exit gate for the Eurotunnel terminal

Family: A mother with her child clinging onto her back were able to get past roadblocks set up by the French Gendarmes this evening

Family: A mother with her child clinging onto her back were able to get past roadblocks set up by the French Gendarmes this evening

Migrants wait patiently for their moment to run, as they watch security guarding the gates at the Eurotunnel site in Calais this evening

Migrants wait patiently for their moment to run, as they watch security guarding the gates at the Eurotunnel site in Calais this evening

Men watch as a train arrives at the Eurotunnel - many of which have been delayed after days of cross-Channel chaos caused by migrants

Men watch as a train arrives at the Eurotunnel - many of which have been delayed after days of cross-Channel chaos caused by migrants

Journeying on: Migrants are seen leaving the banks of a motorway and crossing the empty road towards the Eurotunnel in Calais, France

Journeying on: Migrants are seen leaving the banks of a motorway and crossing the empty road towards the Eurotunnel in Calais, France

Tory MPs said that, if the Prime Minister was serious about getting a grip, he should have immediately scrapped the Human Rights Act which makes it harder for Britain to take firm action against illegal immigrants and failed asylum seekers.

On another day of mayhem, when families took to social media to declare they were cancelling French holidays:

  • It emerged that 1,000 attempts had been made to storm the Tunnel on Thursday night alone.
  • Two illegal immigrants were pictured clinging to a lorry roof in Folkestone after making it through.
  • The Ministry of Defence hunted for a site to park lorries on to allow the M20 to reopen.
  • Social workers and care homes said they were struggling to cope with abandoned migrant children.
  • Motorists who made it to Calais were stranded for hours by militant French ferry workers starting tyre fires.
  • Ex-Home Secretary Jack Straw called for an end to open borders.

After a fourth night of migrants laying siege to the Tunnel, Mr Cameron held an hour-long Cobra meeting with senior ministers and officials.

Afterwards he said: ‘The situation is not acceptable and it is absolutely this Government’s priority to deal with it in every way we can. We are absolutely on it. We know it needs more work. We rule nothing out in dealing with this very serious problem.’

Yet Whitehall officials said that, despite the PM’s comments, there was no prospect of the Government bringing in the Army to restore control at Calais.

David Cameron today promised to send extra sniffer dogs and fencing to Calais as he admitted the migrant crisis in Calais will last all summer

David Cameron today promised to send extra sniffer dogs and fencing to Calais as he admitted the migrant crisis in Calais will last all summer

Flee: A man with his hood pulled up runs past Gendarmarie and along a road leading to the Eurotunnel terminal in another day of delays

Flee: A man with his hood pulled up runs past Gendarmarie and along a road leading to the Eurotunnel terminal in another day of delays

Run free: A woman wearing a faded dressing gown smiles as she runs along a road close to the Eurotunnel where migrants have made attempts to storm the area for the last four nights

Run free: A woman wearing a faded dressing gown smiles as she runs along a road close to the Eurotunnel where migrants have made attempts to storm the area for the last four nights

After a fourth night of migrants laying siege to the Tunnel, Mr Cameron held an hour-long Cobra meeting with senior ministers and officials

After a fourth night of migrants laying siege to the Tunnel, Mr Cameron held an hour-long Cobra meeting with senior ministers and officials

Hazardous: Three women and a man walk along the side of a road in Calais, France, as another day of mayhem got under way at the port

Hazardous: Three women and a man walk along the side of a road in Calais, France, as another day of mayhem got under way at the port

Their faces covered, a group of migrants cross a field close to the Eurotunnel. The Prime Minister has been attacked for his 'sticking plaster' response over the growing crisis

Their faces covered, a group of migrants cross a field close to the Eurotunnel. The Prime Minister has been attacked for his 'sticking plaster' response over the growing crisis

Long trek: A group of migrants make the dash to the Eurotunnel entrance as the sun goes down over Calais, France, this evening

Long trek: A group of migrants make the dash to the Eurotunnel entrance as the sun goes down over Calais, France, this evening

Migrants who managed to get past roadblocks set up by gendarmes run as French police make a bid to stop them going any further

Migrants who managed to get past roadblocks set up by gendarmes run as French police make a bid to stop them going any further

The Prime Minister's current plans include sending an unspecified number of extra sniffer dogs to France and strengthening and extending the fencing which guards the Eurotunnel perimeter in Coquelles, near Calais

The Prime Minister's current plans include sending an unspecified number of extra sniffer dogs to France and strengthening and extending the fencing which guards the Eurotunnel perimeter in Coquelles, near Calais

Final bid for freedom: It emerged that 1,000 attempts had been made by migrants to storm the Tunnel on Thursday night alone

Final bid for freedom: It emerged that 1,000 attempts had been made by migrants to storm the Tunnel on Thursday night alone

Mr Cameron pledged to fast-track the Government’s latest Immigration Bill, which will now be introduced as soon as Parliament returns in September, as migrants were seen running past Gendarmarie in Calais today

Mr Cameron pledged to fast-track the Government’s latest Immigration Bill, which will now be introduced as soon as Parliament returns in September, as migrants were seen running past Gendarmarie in Calais today

Keeping watch: A Gendarmarie stands on a road close to the Eurotunnel where migrants flee past them as another night of chaos ensues

Keeping watch: A Gendarmarie stands on a road close to the Eurotunnel where migrants flee past them as another night of chaos ensues

One hope: Sudanese men sit in a field near the Eurotunnel terminal after leaving the nearby base camp for migrants known as the 'Jungle'

One hope: Sudanese men sit in a field near the Eurotunnel terminal after leaving the nearby base camp for migrants known as the 'Jungle'

Desperation: A family of migrants walk together as they prepare to break through defences and cross over the Channel into the UK

Desperation: A family of migrants walk together as they prepare to break through defences and cross over the Channel into the UK

Making a break for it: A group of people walk through a field towards terminal that leads directly under the Channel to the UK

Making a break for it: A group of people walk through a field towards terminal that leads directly under the Channel to the UK

Desperate: A group of migrants break through a fence near train tracks as they attempt to access the Channel Tunnel near Calais yesterday

Desperate: A group of migrants break through a fence near train tracks as they attempt to access the Channel Tunnel near Calais yesterday

Migrants lift up a mesh fence close to the tracks of a railway near Calais, France, and help each other squeeze through the flimsy structure

Migrants lift up a mesh fence close to the tracks of a railway near Calais, France, and help each other squeeze through the flimsy structure

There have been more than 4,200 attempts by migrants to enter the Tunnel in the past four nights and one was killed after hundreds stormed the barriers on Tuesday night

There have been more than 4,200 attempts by migrants to enter the Tunnel in the past four nights and one was killed after hundreds stormed the barriers on Tuesday night

Migrants climb over a fence on to the tracks near the Eurotunnel site at Coquelles in Calais, France, today in a bid to get across to the UK

Migrants climb over a fence on to the tracks near the Eurotunnel site at Coquelles in Calais, France, today in a bid to get across to the UK

Storm: A group of migrants run across a road in Calais, France, as the Prime Minister suggests sending more fences to secure the perimeter of the Eurotunnel site

Storm: A group of migrants run across a road in Calais, France, as the Prime Minister suggests sending more fences to secure the perimeter of the Eurotunnel site

Waiting game: A group of men sit under a tree near an empty carriageway leading to the Eurotunnel, which has faced a series of delays

Waiting game: A group of men sit under a tree near an empty carriageway leading to the Eurotunnel, which has faced a series of delays

French guards patrol the gates outside the Eurotunnel terminals, while migrants watch on and wait for their moment to make a dash over

French guards patrol the gates outside the Eurotunnel terminals, while migrants watch on and wait for their moment to make a dash over

A group of men sit on the grass after journeying to the French port and wait to make their last leg of the journey over to Great Britain

A group of men sit on the grass after journeying to the French port and wait to make their last leg of the journey over to Great Britain

5-POINT PLAN... BUT WILL IT WORK?

More car parks

Army barracks will be used as car parks to accommodate lorries stuck on the M20. A handful of soldiers will be involved, waving through the drivers and organising parking spaces. Ebbsfleet will also be used to accommodate HGV drivers at a temporary parking freight overspill.

Extra fencing

More fencing will be sent to secure the perimeter at the Eurotunnel site.

The extra fencing will be on top of the 2.5 miles of 9ft-high fencing that was supposed to be in place by the end of this week – but it won’t be completed until next weekend. Migrants have been able to cut through the fencing currently in place.

Sniffer dogs

More search and sniffer dog teams will be sent to provide 24-hour cover of the terminal in Coquelles and the ferry port at Calais.

Increase ferry capacity

More ferries could be put on for holidaymakers on different routes so they are not disrupted by the crisis, though no such plans are yet in place.

Fast-track Immigration Bill

New powers to tackle illegal working and abuse of the asylum system will be sped up. Mr Cameron said the new Immigration Bill will be introduced as soon as Parliament returns.

Instead, current plans include sending an unspecified number of extra sniffer dogs to France and strengthening and extending the fencing which guards the Eurotunnel perimeter in Coquelles, near Calais.

But in a sign of confusion, Wagtail UK, which supplies sniffer dogs to the Home Office said it had not been contacted by the Government about providing extra resources.

The firm also appeared to be mounting a frantic hunt to find extra dogs in case they were needed, issuing two alerts marked ‘urgent’ on Twitter.

Mr Cameron pledged to fast-track the Government’s latest Immigration Bill, which will now be introduced as soon as Parliament returns in September.

It includes measures to make it harder for illegal immigrants to remain in the UK, including a new criminal offence of illegal working. 

Calais blocked off: The strikes near the ferry port (top right) caused lengthy tailbacks, impacting on traffic leaving the E40. This is causing delays for holidaymakers leaving the Eurotunnel terminal (left) and heading east towards Dunkirk and Belgium. Traffic heading west is largely unaffected by the congestion

Riot: Britons heading for France for their summer holidays face travel chaos as they contend with striking ferry workers (pictured this afternoon), the migrant crisis in Calais and Operation Stack in Kent 

Riot: Britons heading for France for their summer holidays face travel chaos as they contend with striking ferry workers (pictured this afternoon), the migrant crisis in Calais and Operation Stack in Kent 

Blaze: Protesting employees of a ferry company have blocked roads to the port with a wall of burning tyres - another obstacle in British tourists' way

Blaze: Protesting employees of a ferry company have blocked roads to the port with a wall of burning tyres - another obstacle in British tourists' way

Organised chaos: Protesters, determined to cause carnage, pass tyres to each other before throwing them on to the makeshift bonfire

Organised chaos: Protesters, determined to cause carnage, pass tyres to each other before throwing them on to the makeshift bonfire

Rage: A protester throws fuel onto the flaming tyres near the port of Calais earlier today, holding up British holidaymakers as they try to pass

Rage: A protester throws fuel onto the flaming tyres near the port of Calais earlier today, holding up British holidaymakers as they try to pass

Queues: Traffic was seen building outside Calais this afternoon as the protest caused lengthy tailbacks on roads leading to the port

Queues: Traffic was seen building outside Calais this afternoon as the protest caused lengthy tailbacks on roads leading to the port

Long journey home: British tourists were stuck for hours in queues on the outskirts of Calais as they arrived to board ferries

Long journey home: British tourists were stuck for hours in queues on the outskirts of Calais as they arrived to board ferries

Making their point: This homemade sign has appeared near to the M20 holiday route, which leads to the Channel Tunnel 

Making their point: This homemade sign has appeared near to the M20 holiday route, which leads to the Channel Tunnel 

CALAIS OFFICIAL CALLS PM RACIST

 Calais officials joined in the attacks on David Cameron over his use of the word ‘swarm’ to describe migrants.

Philippe Mognonet, the deputy mayor of Calais, became the latest to attack the Prime Minister following criticism from Left wingers and Labour’s acting leader Harriet Harman.

Mr Mignonet said Mr Cameron’s langauge was either ‘extremist’ or ‘a proof of ignorance of the situation’.

He said: ‘It is always the same. The French authorities are always blamed for what is happening around the tunnel, around the port, in the city.

‘If one day there are 10,000 [migrants] that will be a bloody disaster, for them first and for the city afterwards.

‘It is already a disaster, an economical [sic] disaster, for the city. The racism [sic] words, or extremist words, I just cannot accept them.’

Tory MPs say the focus on a single word used by the Prime Minister shows how out of touch Left-wingers are with ordinary voters’ concerns.

But Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, said: ‘The measures aren’t enough, they are just sticking plasters in terms of trying to resolve this problem.

‘Until we actually contain the situation in Calais with the migrants, this situation is a crisis and it’s out of control.’

The RHA said the traffic jams are costing British businesses £250million a day in lost trade and the costs could ‘feed through to consumers’.

Philip Davies, Tory MP for Shipley, said: ‘I would have liked the Prime Minister to come out of the meeting and say that he wants to see the Human Rights Act scrapped at the first opportunity. That won’t prevent people getting in, but it would make it a damn sight easier to kick them out.’

Douglas Carswell, the Ukip MP for Clacton, said: ‘This response shows that the Prime Minister and his officials don’t have a clue. The situation is getting out of hand, and we’ve got schoolboys in charge.’

Natalie Chapman of the Freight Transport Association said: ‘There’s real frustration at how long Government has taken to get on board and realise the devastating effect this is having on the UK economy. It’s all very well having lots of meetings. We need some action.’

Mr Cameron said MoD land near Folkestone, Kent, would be used to ease lorry congestion. Ebbsfleet International Station is also to be used to accommodate HGV drivers. However, it is likely to be able to hold only 1,000 lorries – and there are 6,000 parked on the M20.

Ex-Home Secretary Mr Straw said Europe must now consider ripping up the Schengen agreement which allows migrants to cross the continent with no border checks.

‘You now see the price that Europe is paying, as well as the United Kingdom is paying for this completely open border arrangement,’ he said. ‘They need to face up to the consequences of Schengen.’

It is understood Mr Cameron is set to start his holiday next week, although Downing Street said it does not comment on holidays. A spokesman said he would be in charge the whole time. 

Putting down roots: Men sprawl in the shade, surrounded by clothing, rubbish and debris, at the migrant camp this afternoon

Putting down roots: Men sprawl in the shade, surrounded by clothing, rubbish and debris, at the migrant camp this afternoon

Sprawling: A man sits outside a cluster of tents in the camp, known as the 'New Jungle', that has been built near the Calais ring road

Sprawling: A man sits outside a cluster of tents in the camp, known as the 'New Jungle', that has been built near the Calais ring road

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