‘Thousands of refugees may enter Britain’

LONDON: Thousands of refugees could flock to Britain from France if voters decide to leave the European Union, a spokesman for David Cameron said on Monday, underlining the prime minister’s stance that an exit would hurt security.

In what critics said was the start of a "campaign of fear" to try to keep voters in the European Union, the spokesman said leaving the bloc could harm an agreement with France which allows British border guards to make immigration checks there.

"We have that relationship with the French partly because we are both partners in the EU. Should we leave the EU there is no guarantee that we would see those controls continuing," the spokesman said.

"If those controls didn’t continue then as we know there are thousands of people there, who are there specifically because they want to come to the UK, who would then come to the UK ...there would be nothing to stop thousands of people crossing the Channel overnight.