Radio caller says he would let migrant children die in the English Channel

Migrant children trying to cross the English Channel should be left to drown, according to a caller on a radio phone-in.

The festive season has seen an influx of migrants trying to cross the English Channel, with Home Secretary Sajid Javid declaring it a “major incident”.

Mr Javid, who cut short his Christmas holiday to deal with the growing crisis, wrote in the Daily Telegraph that many of the factors behind the increase in crossings are “outside of our control”.

On Monday, a group of 12 migrants, including a 10-year-old child, were being interviewed by immigration officials after they came ashore near Lydd-on-Sea, Kent, in the latest of a series of landings.

The issue has sparked significant debate.

On Sunday, a caller to the LBC show, who gave his name as Andy, told Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson that boats carrying children to England should be allowed to sink.

He claimed that people who have been rescued from dinghies while crossed to the UK during the festive period are economic migrants, not asylum seekers, and called for the creation of internment camps where they should be held.

Asked by Mr Watson: “You’ve got a boat load of kids sinking in the English Channel, what would you do with them?”, Andy replied: “I’d let them sink.”

When the deputy Labour leader pressed him, saying: “So you would let children drown in the English Channel?”, Andy replied, “Yep.” And when asked: “How many?” he said: “As many as it takes to stop them.”

Asked again what he would do if he had the power to decide what to do with a dinghy full of migrants, Andy insisted: “I’d let it sink.”

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His comments prompted Mr Watson to say: “You leave me worried for the future of humanity with views like that.”

But he said he believed if he was actually in that situation, Andy would rescue the people.

Mr Javid said reasons for the journeys included instability in the Middle East, organised crime, changes in visa routes and tighter security at Calais.

“Unfortunately there are no easy answers,” he said, adding: “While we have obligations to genuine asylum seekers… we will not stand by and allow reckless criminals to take advantage of some of the most vulnerable people in our global society.”