http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2810936/Immigrants-ready-prepared-die-Britain-huge-handed-benefits-says-Calais-Mayor.html

Natacha Bouchart in Parliament amid growing illegal immigration concerns
France has announced plans for a new centre for migrants in Calais
Fears raised new centre will become another Sangatte attracting migrants
The number of migrants in Calais is now 2,300 – up from 1,500 in August
Violent clashes between rival migrant gangs an almost daily occurrence
Mrs Bouchart: 'What Britain is offering is understood around the world'
She said the UK was thought of as an 'Eldorado' among immigrants

By Tom McTague, Deputy Political Editor for MailOnline

Published: 15:25 GMT, 28 October 2014 | Updated: 18:30 GMT, 28 October 2014

Immigrants are prepared to 'die' to get to Britain because they think they will get good benefits, the Mayor of Calais told MPs today.

Natacha Bouchart, giving evidence to the home affairs select committee, said Britain had a 'much more favourable regime' than France.

It comes amid mounting concern about the impact of large numbers of people gathering on the French coast trying to get to the UK.

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Mayor of Calais was invited to give evidence to Parliament over the mounting immigration crisis in the northern French town

Mrs Bouchart said the weekly £37 paid to asylum seekers was ‘a huge amount to people who have nothing in their lives’ and rejected the claim that a new centre would act as a magnet for migrants desperate to make it to the UK.

She told MPs: ‘The real magnet is the benefits that are perceived in Great Britain.' She added: ‘These people are ready and prepared to die to get to England.’

Mrs Bouchart said the UK was seen as an Eldorado among immigrants. She said: 'What Britain is offering is understood around the world.'

The Mayor was invited to Parliament to discuss the increasing flow of illegal immigrants from France.

Mrs Bouchart called for the treaty signed in 2003 by then-home secretary David Blunkett which allowed UK border officials to be stationed at ferry terminals in France and French border police to be stationed at Dover - effectively moving UK borders across the Channel.

The mayor told the committee this should be reversed.

‘I do think the frontier should be on British territory because it's up to you to decide whether or not you wish to welcome these migrants or not,’ Ms Bouchart said.

The mayor told the committee there were around 2,500 migrants in the town from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Iran and Iraq, among other countries.

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Labour MP Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs select committee, questioned why there was such a severe immigration problem in Calais

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Mrs Bouchart was joined by Philippe Mignonet, Deputy Mayor of Calais (right) and Emmanuel Aguis, First Deputy to the Mayor (left) to give evidence to Parliament

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Mrs Bouchart (centre) was the centre of attention outside Portcullis House in Westminster this afternoon after giving evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee about the immigration crisis in Calais

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Mrs Bouchart said the UK was seen as an Eldorado among immigrants. She said: 'What Britain is offering is understood around the world'

It comes after the French government announced plans for a new centre for migrants in Calais – sparking concerns that it will become another Sangatte, encouraging asylum seekers to flock to the port city in the hope of making it to Britain.

Ms Bouchart was today called on to step up security at the Channel port after mounting cases of desperate refugees risking their lives to get to the UK.

Official figures now put the number of migrants in Calais at 2,300 – up from 1,500 in August.

Shadow immigration minister David Hanson, who recently visited Calais, said France needs to 'step up its game' to stop migrants repeatedly trying to board lorries.

He said: 'There is far more the French authorities should be doing to stop the dangerous stream of migrants trying to enter our country illegally.'

Dozens of migrants in Calais tried to storm a ferry bound for Britain in September.

Violent clashes between rival migrant gangs competing for the best locations to board lorries are an almost daily occurrence.