MONMOUTH MP David Davies has said water cannon should be considered to deal with the unfolding Calais migrant crisis.

He also said migrants should be deported to "humane camps" in Africa and the Middle East, while “incentives” for illegal immigrants could be reduced by cutting benefits in the UK.

On BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he said British troops should enter Calais’ migrant camps to boost security and that development aid money could be used to build humanely-run camps.

Mr Davies said: "It may sound a little harsh but, at the moment, migrants are losing their lives on Channel Tunnel freight trains and on rickety boats out in the Mediterranean.

"Around 100,000 people have already arrived in Europe so far this year. Many, many more will be watching to see what happens and look to follow them.

"Fundamentally, what we need to do is take away the incentive to come here. The UK Government already partly funds refugee camps in the Middle East. We should expand this programme and make it clear that anyone who is in Britain without papers should be removed back to their country of origin.

"If we can't get into the actual country, we need to be building humane camps across North Africa and the Middle East where people can be sent while their asylum claims are processed. There is plenty of development money we can use to do that.”

On Monday foreign secretary Philip Hammond insisted the UK Government has “got a grip” on the crisis. It is estimated there are 3,000 migrants in Calais, with a high proportion seeking to enter the UK.

Mr Davies added the government has to insist "who comes in here."

"Britain is already overcrowded and sadly, we cannot allow everyone in. Our welfare system will collapse and our country will become unrecognisable.

Earlier he had tweeted: “Calais chaos must end. We should consider use of water canon [sic] to clear roads, protect drivers & maintain border control."

But his comments have been criticised by some of his constituents. Chepstow mayor Cllr Dale Rooke tweeted: “[Mr Davies] plays politics of fear where migrants are concerned. Do we have a problem with a huge foreign population in Monmouthshire?”