Britain yesterday came under an extraordinary attack for failing to pay compensation to France for the migrant chaos in Calais . The port ’ s mayor Natacha Bouchart launched into a rant at the Government for refusing to fully engage in the European project . Senior Tories said her remarks , made public by the supposedly impartial Council of Europe , amounted to meddling in the general election campaign . Scroll down for video . Outspoken : Natacha Bouchart said migrants were desperate to reach the UK because of Britain 's 'cushy benefits system ' On the run : Calais has struggled to deal with thousands of illegal immigrants who have gathered in the town . Thousands of illegal migrants have massed in Calais waiting for an opportunity to sneak into lorries , private cars or caravans and enter Britain . But Mrs Bouchart , a long-standing critic of the UK , refused to take any blame . She said : ‘ We are suffering the consequences of the British Government ’ s actions , which takes from Europe the things that suit it , but doesn ’ t want to get fully involved in the European project . ‘ A country can not remain both in and out of Europe , creating problems but providing no compensation and no support to local authorities , such as mine and others , which are left alone to assume huge responsibilities. ’ The interview was circulated by the Council of Europe under the heading : ‘ Calais mayor slams the UK over migrants. ’ It had been given to the council ’ s ‘ Journal ’ programme , in which an interviewer asked Mrs Bouchart a series of questions inviting criticism of the Government . Criticism : The mayor of Calais has attacked Britain for 'not getting fully involved in the European project ' Violence : Mass brawls between rival gangs left more than 70 people injured during July and August . A transcript and video of the rant were released yesterday as David Cameron was visiting the Queen to fire the starting gun on the election campaign . The council , made up of 47 member states , has repeatedly clashed with the Tory-led Coalition . It is the body that oversees the European Court of Human Rights , which has ordered ministers to give the vote to prisoners . The Conservatives have threatened to withdraw from the council ’ s jurisdiction if it does not stop interfering in UK affairs . Mrs Bouchart has previously made a string of attacks on the UK . In October , she said Britain was an ‘ El Dorado ’ for thousands of migrants flocking to Calais because of generous state handouts . Tory candidate Michael Ellis , who was a member of the home affairs committee , said : ‘ The council is brazenly trying to interfere in our election and using the mayor of Calais , who has a history of anti-British political posturing , to do so . ‘ The illegal migrant problem in Calais is entirely of France ’ s own making . They signed up to open borders , we did not . They have been making it worse by building new facilities for illegal migrants. ’ Peter Bone , standing for the Tories in Wellingborough , said : ‘ The mayor of Calais does not seem to realise that the problems are French , and they should be dealing with it . She needs to get a grip. ’ In the interview , Mrs Bouchart repeated her attack on the UK for being a supposed soft touch for illegal immigrants . She said : ‘ They want to go to England because they can expect better conditions on arrival there than anywhere else in Europe or even internationally . Chaos : The Calais mayor said , with as many as 3,000 migrants in the port , she could not handle the situation . Camp : Calais is to open the Jules Ferry camp to immigrants , a former children 's holiday camp , which will become an immigrant centre - the first stage of which begins as a feeding centre . ‘ There are no ID cards . They can easily find work outside the formal economy , which is not really controlled . They can get social welfare support that doesn ’ t exist in other countries. ’ But Tory candidate Jacob Rees-Mogg said : ‘ The problems at Calais did not materialise because the UK is a honeypot but because the EU has the Schengen agreement which means it is quite incapable of controlling its own borders . ‘ Until the time of Queen Mary I , Calais was the last bit of France to be English . It would perhaps be better run if it were given back . ’
Natacha refugees , Calais Mayor , says are desperate to reach the UK . anywhere in world they can expect better conditions than anywhere else in world . Also urges UK to tighten border controls for travellers arriving from overseas . Criticises the UK for ' not getting fully involved in the European project '