Well, this is awkward.
A French MP just went on the BBC and basically told us what we've all been thinking but nobody wanted to say out loud. Élénore Caroit from Macron's Renaissance party straight-up called Britain "El Dorado" for Channel crossers. You know, that mythical city made of gold that doesn't actually exist? Except in this case, it apparently does exist and it's called the UK benefits system.
This came after nearly 1,200 people made the crossing in a single day on Saturday. One day! That's more people than live in some English villages, all arriving via rubber dinghy like some sort of maritime flash mob.
The Numbers Game (Spoiler: We're Losing)
Let me break down just how spectacularly this whole thing has gone sideways. Channel crossings are up 40% from last year. Forty percent! Meanwhile, we've handed the French £480 million – that's nearly half a billion pounds – to stop these boats from leaving their beaches.
On Saturday alone, French police managed to stop 184 people out of 1,194 who attempted the crossing. That's less than 15%. If that was a football team's success rate, they'd be relegated to the conference league.
The really infuriating part? Photos emerged on social media showing migrants literally smiling and waving from the boats. I mean, I get it – if someone was putting me up in a hotel and giving me three meals a day while processing my paperwork, I'd probably be smiling too.
Why Britain Really IS El Dorado
Here's where it gets uncomfortable for everyone involved. Caroit wasn't just throwing shade for the sake of it – she was pointing out something that's been obvious to anyone paying attention.
When you arrive in Britain via small boat and claim asylum, you get accommodation (often in hotels that cost more per night than most people's rent), food, and support while your case gets processed. And if you can't be deported? The support continues indefinitely.
Compare that to what's waiting for them in France, and yeah... it's not exactly a difficult choice, is it?
Caroit told the BBC: "It is. It's a complex situation, people want simple solutions, but you have to go to Calais and see what it looks like, and how many boats you have and how many people are waiting to go to the UK."
Keir's Angry Too (Apparently)
Sir Keir Starmer tried to sound tough today, saying "You have every right to be angry about small boat crossings. I'm angry too." He promised they're "ramping up efforts to smash the people smuggling gangs at source."
Right. Because we definitely haven't heard that one before.
MP Rupert Lowe wasn't having any of it and fired back with what probably half the country is thinking: "Don't put them up in hotels. Don't give them benefits. Don't let them stay – under any circumstances."
Brutal? Maybe. But when you're watching French police literally stand around while gangs launch 18 boats in a single day, you can understand the frustration.
The French Police Problem
Defence Secretary John Healey called the weekend scenes "shocking" and admitted that "Britain's lost control of its borders over the last five years." No kidding, John.
But here's the kicker – apparently French law doesn't allow police to intervene once the boats hit shallow water. So the smugglers have figured out they can just dodge the cops by "launching elsewhere and coming around like a taxi."
A taxi service. Across the English Channel. Using dinghies.
You couldn't make this stuff up if you tried. We're paying France nearly half a billion pounds to stop boats that their own laws prevent them from stopping once they're actually in the water. It's like paying someone to guard your house but only when you're not home.
What Happens Next?
The truth is, until Britain stops being "El Dorado" for people willing to risk their lives crossing one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, this isn't going to stop.
The French MP was right about one thing – we need to work together instead of blaming each other. But that's going to require some uncomfortable conversations about what "working together" actually means.
Because right now, it feels like we're all just watching the same disaster unfold in slow motion, while everyone points fingers and nobody wants to admit the obvious: the current system isn't working for anyone except the people smugglers making a fortune off human misery.
And that's the real tragedy in all of this.
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https://hellofaread.com/politics/britains-getting-serious-about-war-but-the-money-fight-is-real
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