Migrant Death due to electrocution on Eurotunnel train

[whole diary]

[BerkshireBugsy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34287750

Whilst the loss of life is sad IMHO^▸ ('in my humble opinion') it is hardly unexpected in this case. Whatever the rights or wrongs about what the migrant did it highlights the risks of "unauthorized" travel by train

[Tim]

Surely there should be a way of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) receiving asylum applications (and then accepting or rejecting them on their merits in accordance with the rules) from someone who is in France without that person having to be physically in the UK first?

Regardless of whether you think our asylum criteria should be strict or lax, surely the ability to climb fences, break into lorries and endanger yourself (and others) on the roof of a train should not one of them.

[ChrisB]

The rules of asylum require them to claim in the first country they arrive in that is safe. There is no choice

[JayMac]

There is no such requirement on refugees to seek asylum in a particular country.

Anyone can claim asylum anywhere if they are a genuine refugee. States may however remove asylum seekers to a safe third country on the grounds that they could have seeked asylum there. Proving they had an opportunity to seek asylum in the first safe country they came to is, however, often difficult.

[ChrisB]

They have no right of passage to reach a chosen country, abd they can only claim asylum once present in their chosen country. Hence the stand off in Calais. Sorry, that is what I actually meant