Thousands of North African migrants could seek to enter Britain after Italy announced on Thursday that it would grant travel permits to more than 20,000 Tunisian refugees

temporary permits will grant the refugees freedom of movement within the visa-free Schengen area.
Although the Schengen area excludes Britain and Ireland, migrants could attempt to enter the UK illegally from the Continent, as tens of thousands of others have done over the last decade.
The Italian initiative set up a showdown between Rome and Paris, with the French saying they would block the Tunisians, many of whom have converged on the Italian frontier town of Ventimiglia in the hope of crossing the border.
"The prime minister will today sign a decree giving those already in Italy ... a temporary residence permit for humanitarian protection that will allow them to travel around the Schengen zone," Roberto Maroni, Italy's interior minister, told parliament.
Mr Maroni said that more than 25,000 undocumented migrants have landed in Italy so far this year on 390 boats – mainly on the island of Lampedusa, a tiny outcrop that is closer to North African than to mainland Italy. The majority – 21,000 – are from Tunisia.