Alain Juppe calls for UK border to move from Calais to Kent

French presidential frontrunner Alain Juppe has said the border with the UK should be moved from Calais to Kent arguing it was for Britain to handle the migrant crisis.

The country's former Prime Minister and foreign minister has said he wants a complete overhaul of the Le Touquet accord, the 2003 deal between France and Britain that allows UK border checks to be carried out on the French mainland.

It has led thousands of migrants trying to reach British shores to gather in makeshift camps in Calais.

:: MPs demand action on Calais Jungle migrant camp

If the agreement was scrapped, UK officials would have to wait until people arrived on British soil to carry out passport checks.

Mr Juppe, who is the current favourite to become the next French president, told The Guardian newspaper: "We can't tolerate what is going on in Calais, the image is disastrous for our country and there are also extremely serious economic and security consequences for the people of Calais."

He added: "So the first thing is to denounce the Le Touquet accords. We cannot accept making the selection on French territory of people that Britain does or doesn't want. It's up to Britain to do that job."

But Dover MP Charlie Elphicke said: "Dumping the Calais border controls is a crackpot idea. Making it easier to break into Britain would just turn Calais into an even bigger magnet for migrants.

"We need less bluster and more border security. There wouldn't be any migrants at Calais if they had no hope of getting through.

"That's why Britain and France must work together to help the vulnerable, make our borders stronger and wage war on the people traffickers who are behind this crisis to end their evil trade of modern slavery once and for all."

The spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May has also insisted the current border agreement is working and there are no plans to alter it.

Mr Juppe is on course to win the centre-right's nomination, ahead of the former president Nicolas Sarkozy, and polls indicate he is in a strong position to win the election.

His comments signal growing pressure on the UK following the Brexit vote.

During the referendum campaign, the then prime minister David Cameron faced accusations of scaremongering after he suggested the migrant camp in Calais could be moved to Britain in the event of a Leave vote.

A number of French politicians have already called for border controls to be shifted back to Britain and it promises to be an issue in the run up to next year's presidential election.

In the face of political pressure, the French government is to start clearing the main Jungle refugee camp in Calais from where many migrants try to reach Britain.

Ahead of its demolition, child refugees from the camp with family in the UK have been arriving in the country.

However, the transfer of youngsters has been at the centre of controversy following calls for dental checks to be carried out to verify their age.

Calls for the tests have been condemned, including by the British Dental Association (BDA), which branded them "inappropriate and unethical".

Home Office figures showed more than two thirds of refugees who had their ages assessed were found to be adults, despite claiming to be children.