Calais, immigrants and our summer holiday

You look forward to a nice summer break with the family. You've got kids, so obviously are held ransom to the rocketing prices that greets all parents (another topic.. )

But you've saved up, everyone's excited, you're off to the continent and all we need to do is cross that little stretch of water...

You would fly, but the chances are the Air Traffic Controllers will be on strike, as they know when to cause maximum disruption.

So you opt for the Chunnel, fast, efficent and then it's the open roads of France.

But the French are up to their usual tricks, industrial action and torching lorries. Then of course we have the compounded problem of illegal immigrants who refuse to accept refugee/asylum status in any of the European countries they have passed through, as they are on the yellow brick road to Britain.

Operation stack kicks in, the M20 becomes the UK's largest lorry and car park, thousands more Brits endure holiday misery (not mentioning the poor hauliers who have to regularly endure this).

So what on earth is the answer?

How do we stop refugees dragging themselves and their families half way round the world, passing through multiple wealthy western countries to reach the end of the rainbow, bankrupt Britain?

The French Mayor of Calais reckons it's our fault. We are too soft, illegal immigrants go under the radar in the UK, can work on the black market and we do little to send them back. Our border force seem to be under constant criticism from failing to meet targets. They will argue they are under funded and under resourced.

The French would like to see the refugee camps in Dover rather than Calais, can you really blame them?

So do we need to be more aggressive as a nation? Are we too soft? If you had escaped from Syria or ISIS persecution, what would you do? Grab your family and head for a better life, I know I would.

Maybe all this anti Euro feeling at the moment is half the problem. If we're not careful, we could end up as the worlds refugee dumping ground. I'm hoping there will be strong leadership and a much tougher stance adopted. It's time for us to stop being held to ransom. Maybe it's time to utilise the Army to protect the corridor into Calais, as clearly the new fences we provided the French are as much good as a chocolate teapot.

Otherwise shove a cork in the tunnel and build a big wall round our moat!

Meanwhile, looking nervously at the Calais chaos and our booked chunnel tickets for a couple of weeks time, maybe it's time for a plan B and book a back up ferry to Dunkirk We will have a stress free summer holiday if it kills me