Theresa May admits future of Calais border checks are up for discussion Theresa May faces a showdown with the new French president Emmanuel Macron over the deal allowing British passport checks to […]

Theresa May faces a showdown with the new French president Emmanuel Macron over the deal allowing British passport checks to be carried out in Calais rather than Dover.

She acknowledged that the issue of border controls would be discussed with Mr Macron who has suggested he could tear up the 14-year-old agreement between London and Paris.

During campaigning he vowed to put the deal, under which France and Britain conduct border checks on each other’s soil, back “on the table”.

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The Le Touquet agreement has faced frequent criticism in France for leaving it to cope with thousands of migrants heading for Channel ports every year, leading to the growth of vast camps such as ‘the Jungle’.

Child migrants ‘failure’

Mr Macron has raised particular concerns about its failure to deal with child migrants stranded in northern France.

The Prime Minister said her new counterpart had secured a “very strong mandate” and urged voters to put her in a similar “strong position” for negotiations over Brexit.

Asked during a campaign rally about the future of the border deal, Mrs May said: “As for Le Touquet agreement, actually it works for the benefit of both the UK and France.

“Obviously the government elected after 8 June will be sitting down and talking to Monsieur Macron and others about how that system we have works for the benefit of France as well as the benefit of the UK.”

‘Impact of Brexit’

Remain campaigners claimed that the prospect of the border control deal being renegotiated was evidence of the impact of Brexit on relations with other European countries.

Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman, said: “The Conservatives have repeatedly claimed that Brexit will have no impact on border agreements with France, but now the Prime Minister has admitted they are up for negotiation.

“Changes to Le Touquet will mean an upheaval for people travelling across the Channel, risk making our country less secure.”

The Labour candidate Peter Kyle said: “She needs to resist any changes to the Calais agreement that would make life harder for British holidaymakers, businesses, and border control staff.”

Lorry drivers’ fears

The Road Haulage Association, which represents lorry drivers, said it was crucial to retain passport checks at Calais.

“If this situation were to change and the border revert to the UK, the number of migrants attempting to reach the UK by whatever means possible would increase dramatically,” said its chief executive Richard Burnett.

“In addition the risk to the lives and livelihoods of the citizens of Calais would be put in an untenable situation and the economy of the entire region would be put at severe risk.”

Opposition in Dover

Nathaniel Richards, a Labour councillor in Dover, said 95 per cent of local people would oppose the return of border checks to the port.

“They are already on edge about what’s going on in Calais with the Jungle and people crossing illegally. The port simply is no longer equipped to deal with the border coming back here, security would need to be massively upgraded. The only thing protecting us at the moment is a 10ft fence and a handful of police,” he said.