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Refugee crisis: Leadership call by Jones to Cameron | Refugee crisis: Leadership call by Jones to Cameron |
(35 minutes later) | |
The UK government should find some "backbone" and accept more refugees to solve an "unfolding humanitarian tragedy", the first minister has said. | The UK government should find some "backbone" and accept more refugees to solve an "unfolding humanitarian tragedy", the first minister has said. |
Carwyn Jones said Wales "stands ready to play its full part", and called on UK ministers to show some leadership. | Carwyn Jones said Wales "stands ready to play its full part", and called on UK ministers to show some leadership. |
Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood had accused the Welsh government of not being vocal enough over the crisis. | Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood had accused the Welsh government of not being vocal enough over the crisis. |
Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb said the country should "deal with this as a United Kingdom". | |
'Massive scale' | 'Massive scale' |
Commenting on the migrant crisis and accusations of his own government's lack of action, Mr Jones said: "Wales stands ready to play its full part in responding to this unfolding humanitarian tragedy, just have we always have done in the past. | Commenting on the migrant crisis and accusations of his own government's lack of action, Mr Jones said: "Wales stands ready to play its full part in responding to this unfolding humanitarian tragedy, just have we always have done in the past. |
"However, these are non-devolved issues and we desperately need to see some leadership from the UK government on the matter. | |
"This is not part of some diplomatic chess match - we are talking about human suffering on a massive scale. | "This is not part of some diplomatic chess match - we are talking about human suffering on a massive scale. |
"Sadly this Tory Government has once again abandoned its international responsibilities. | "Sadly this Tory Government has once again abandoned its international responsibilities. |
"They urgently need to rediscover some backbone and their moral compass - backing Labour's call to accept 10,000 refugees would be a good start and I offer my full support to this approach." | "They urgently need to rediscover some backbone and their moral compass - backing Labour's call to accept 10,000 refugees would be a good start and I offer my full support to this approach." |
Mr Jones accepted that this meant Wales would accept 500-600 refugees. | Mr Jones accepted that this meant Wales would accept 500-600 refugees. |
Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb said Britain had a "proud tradition of opening our doors and welcoming people from around the world" and should "deal with this as a United Kingdom". | |
He called for a Europe-wide solution to the wider migrant crisis. | |
"Nobody should think for one moment that just by having an open-door policy to this wave of immigration that's coming into Europe represents any kind of solution whatsoever," he told BBC Wales. | |
"A great number of people who are at Calais trying to get into the UK at the moment are not from Syria. They're economic migrants who want a better life." | |
'Fair share' | 'Fair share' |
Earlier, Ms Wood told BBC Radio 4 that the Welsh government had not "stepped up to the mark" over the migrant crisis. | Earlier, Ms Wood told BBC Radio 4 that the Welsh government had not "stepped up to the mark" over the migrant crisis. |
"We should be able to find at least a joint declaration by all parties in Wales, which would be a welcome first step in order to put this case for taking our fair share," she said. | "We should be able to find at least a joint declaration by all parties in Wales, which would be a welcome first step in order to put this case for taking our fair share," she said. |
But Monmouth Conservative MP Mr Davies told BBC Radio Cymru that the NHS would fall apart if Britain and other European countries gave a home to everyone fleeing such countries. | |
He said: "We have to say, 'look we are very sorry, but if you are fleeing from a war zone there are camps set up in Turkey and Jordan where your safety can be ensured'. | He said: "We have to say, 'look we are very sorry, but if you are fleeing from a war zone there are camps set up in Turkey and Jordan where your safety can be ensured'. |
"If everyone came [to the UK] we will see the end of the NHS and the welfare state, because we cannot cope with these large numbers." | |
Meanwhile the Newport West Labour MP Paul Flynn has called for a fairer distribution of refugees across the UK. | Meanwhile the Newport West Labour MP Paul Flynn has called for a fairer distribution of refugees across the UK. |
He said cities such as Newport were shouldering the burden while there were no asylum seekers in the prime minister's constituency of Witney in Oxfordshire. | He said cities such as Newport were shouldering the burden while there were no asylum seekers in the prime minister's constituency of Witney in Oxfordshire. |
Analysis by Nick Servini, BBC Wales political editor | Analysis by Nick Servini, BBC Wales political editor |
Tucked away on the north-western corner of Europe, Wales is a long way from the front line of the migrant crisis, but the debate here is the same as every other country in the EU. | Tucked away on the north-western corner of Europe, Wales is a long way from the front line of the migrant crisis, but the debate here is the same as every other country in the EU. |
And while there is deep concern of the impact on public services and jobs of accepting too many refugees, there's also an awareness from some that Wales has a moral responsibility to help out. | And while there is deep concern of the impact on public services and jobs of accepting too many refugees, there's also an awareness from some that Wales has a moral responsibility to help out. |
This will become a numbers game. Many will agree that more should be done to help out but the test is how many families each community should be prepared to accept. | This will become a numbers game. Many will agree that more should be done to help out but the test is how many families each community should be prepared to accept. |
The Welsh Refugee Council says there were 2,600 asylum seekers in Wales in May, a fraction of the numbers experienced in other countries. | The Welsh Refugee Council says there were 2,600 asylum seekers in Wales in May, a fraction of the numbers experienced in other countries. |
It believes there's scope for more, and it now appears that Labour and Plaid Cymru believe so as well. | It believes there's scope for more, and it now appears that Labour and Plaid Cymru believe so as well. |