Sink immigrant boats say BNP

Thursday, 9 July 2009 12:00 AM

By Liz Stephens

Boats carrying illegal migrants to Europe should be sunk, the leader of the British National party said yesterday.

Speaking on BBC Parliament, Nick Griffin called on the EU to introduce "very tough" measures to prevent illegal immigration.

"The only measure, sooner or later, which is going to stop immigration and stop large numbers of sub-Saharan Africans dying on the way to get over here is to get very tough with those coming over.

"Frankly, they need to sink several of those boats," he said.

The programme's presenter interrupted him to say the EU did not murder people.

Mr Griffin responded: "I didn't say anyone should be murdered at sea - I say boats should be sunk, they can throw them a life raft and they can go back to Libya".

Thousands of migrants attempt to make the crossing to Europe during the summer months. In 2008 there was a 75 per cent increase in attempts on the year before.

Many land on Lampedusa, the Italian island less than 100 miles from Tunisia.

In May, Italy gave Libya three patrol boats to help control the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean.

"Europe has, sooner or later, to close its borders or it's simply going to be swamped by the third world," Griffin said.

The BNP recently failed to form an alliance with any other party in the European parliament.

The French National Front and Italy's Northern League decided to sit with the UK Independence party instead.

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• equality
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• eu british relations
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