STEVE REIGATE The UK spends £1million every week to tackle the migrant crisis

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Our investigation exposes how trying to stop refugees sneaking in to the country from northern France has become a “shocking” drain on the public purse. Since 2010, £315.9million has been spent dealing with the threat of illegal immigration on Britain’s doorstep, Home Office figures show. The sum, revealed for the first time today, equals about £150,000 a day – averaging £52.5million a year over the past six years.

Critics last night questioned why the UK is effectively paying the French authorities to solve a problem created by the EU’s border-free Schengen Area. Charlie Elphicke, the Tory parliamentary candidate for Dover, said: “These shocking figures are a result of the EU’s failure to deal with the migrant crisis and the toxic legacy of Labour’s open-door immigration policy. “For years under Labour almost anyone was allowed to wander into Britain. It’s no wonder so many vulnerable people were drawn to the Calais migrant magnet.

“After we have spent so much already tackling the Calais chaos, we must invest more in our own borders.”

We must invest more in our own borders Charlie Elphicke

Figures show at the height of the chaos in 2015-16 Britain stumped up £111.7million to secure the border from those trying to cross the Channel illegally, up from £48.8million in 2014-15. Since 2010 the total amount spent could have funded more than 13,500 new nurses. Ukip home affairs spokeswoman Jane Collins said: “The crisis in Calais needs to be dealt with, but why is the UK having to fork out for what is actually a problem caused by the EU’s open-door policy to anyone saying they are from Syria and other country’s foolishness in signing up to the Schengen open border area?”

GETTY Critics have questioned by UK taxpayers should pay for France's security

The figures obtained using Freedom of Information laws only came to light after this newspaper demanded to know the cost of Britain’s commitment in northern France. Our request was submitted in September and should have been answered within 20 working days but it took the Home Office seven months to respond. The outlay includes building a 13ft wall lining the approach to Calais’ besieged ferry terminal, bolstering security at controls, and “wider activity” involving the National Crime Agency to deter illegal migration in the region. Separate data shows that 24,800 people were seized attempting to enter the UK illegally in the first six months of last year.

13 pictures that will make you STOP and THINK Sun, February 5, 2017 Shocking pictures show the true devastation caused from the migrant crisis. Play slideshow REUTERS 1 of 13 A Turkish gendarmerie carries Aylan Kurdi's body after he drowned in a failed attempt to sail to the Greek island of Kos

In 2015 the figure was 84,008, a rate of one every six minutes. Independent MEP Steven Woolfe said: “These figures show the true scale of our subsidy to France for their failure to control their borders. “In 2015, when I visited the newly opened Calais Jungle camp with the Daily Express, we could see the scale of the growing crisis. “I warned that costs of dealing with the problem would be massive and the UK would pay. We now see that is true.” Despite the recent demolition of the camp, migrants and people smugglers are returning to northern France in large numbers. Almost 20,000 migrants made it to mainland Europe by sea in the first two months of the year, with numbers set to rise as weather in the Mediterranean improves.

GETTY Ukip MEP Steven Woolfe travelled with the Daily Express to see the Calais Jungle

Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, said: “Despite Calais seeing UK taxpayers invest £316million in border security the EU are still not managing the issue. “The situation may be bad now but relocating the border back to the UK will simply provide an open door. The cost to our economy would be extortionate.” The Home Office said: “We have a strong track record of joint work with the French government.”

GETTY Jane Collins warns of the risk from Islamic State terrorists

COMMENT: By JANE COLLINS, Ukip home affairs spokesperson IF you only listened to Government headlines, you would think the UK taxpayer had paid a few million to help with the migrant crisis in Calais – a fence and a bit of parking to help British hauliers. But as we now know, we have been forking out almost £150,000 a day. Between 2014-15 and 2015-16, the figure has risen from £48.8million to £111.7million. The rise of more than double fits exactly with the disastrous decision by Brussels and Angela Merkel to allow anyone – economic migrant, refugee or even terrorist – to enter the EU by paying people-trafficking gangs.

This is the moment US military bombs ISIS Tue, May 9, 2017 This is the moment the US dropped a Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb, the largest non-nuclear weapon in its arsenal, on a suspected Islamic State stronghold in Afghanistan Play slideshow IG 1 of 10

Islamic State even admitted it would exploit the laxness of the EU’s borders, to “flood” the Continent with its jihadi killers. And we know IS thugs have travelled across internal EU borders and to training camps in terrorist hotspots. And what about the people who organise these border crossings on overcrowded, unseaworthy boats? Who are they? It is most likely they are criminal gangs – possibly with links to terrorist groups themselves – who have discovered that trafficking people is far more lucrative than smuggling drugs.