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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| How many refugees should Britain take? | How many refugees should Britain take? |
| (2 days later) | |
| Yvette Cooper is said to have “broken a political taboo” by calling – rightfully – for every city and borough in Britain to take 10 families from among the four million refugees who have so far fled from Syria. | Yvette Cooper is said to have “broken a political taboo” by calling – rightfully – for every city and borough in Britain to take 10 families from among the four million refugees who have so far fled from Syria. |
| This, she argued, would make 10,000 more places for vulnerable refugees available within a month. The government has so far allowed 200 to be resettled. | This, she argued, would make 10,000 more places for vulnerable refugees available within a month. The government has so far allowed 200 to be resettled. |
| Related: Thousands of refugees stranded at Budapest train station | Related: Thousands of refugees stranded at Budapest train station |
| Cooper’s proposal is a start. But Britain has done far more in the recent past, and the infrastructure and experience exists to take many more than this modest beginning. The last time there was a major refugee crisis on the doorstep of Europe, in the aftermath of the breakup of Yugoslavia, Britain took in more than 75,000 asylum seekers each year over three years, reaching a peak of 84,000 in 2002. Over the past 12 months the UK has taken 25,000 asylum seekers. | Cooper’s proposal is a start. But Britain has done far more in the recent past, and the infrastructure and experience exists to take many more than this modest beginning. The last time there was a major refugee crisis on the doorstep of Europe, in the aftermath of the breakup of Yugoslavia, Britain took in more than 75,000 asylum seekers each year over three years, reaching a peak of 84,000 in 2002. Over the past 12 months the UK has taken 25,000 asylum seekers. |
| The asylum system that offered housing and support for those fleeing the breakup of the Balkans is still in place. In 1999 the Home Office took over the provision of housing for asylum seekers from local authorities whose political welcome fluctuated wildly between a warm reception and outright hostility. | The asylum system that offered housing and support for those fleeing the breakup of the Balkans is still in place. In 1999 the Home Office took over the provision of housing for asylum seekers from local authorities whose political welcome fluctuated wildly between a warm reception and outright hostility. |
| At the same time a decision was taken to disperse new asylum seekers in areas outside London and the south-east, which were then housing more than 100,000 asylum seekers – more than 90% of the total. Those contracts with private sector housing providers have not had the happiest history but are still in place with G4S, Serco and Clearel, at a cost of about £150m a year. They currently house about 23,000 destitute asylum seekers. | At the same time a decision was taken to disperse new asylum seekers in areas outside London and the south-east, which were then housing more than 100,000 asylum seekers – more than 90% of the total. Those contracts with private sector housing providers have not had the happiest history but are still in place with G4S, Serco and Clearel, at a cost of about £150m a year. They currently house about 23,000 destitute asylum seekers. |
| Many asylum seekers return to London or opt to find their own accommodation in the south-east to be close to existing communities, but the Home Office laid down a formula to ensure no town or city outside London found itself taking a disproportionate number of asylum seekers. | Many asylum seekers return to London or opt to find their own accommodation in the south-east to be close to existing communities, but the Home Office laid down a formula to ensure no town or city outside London found itself taking a disproportionate number of asylum seekers. |
| That official formula still stands at one asylum seeker for every 200 residents. It seems a useful benchmark when trying to answer the question of how many refugees Britain should be prepared to take now. Applying that same formula to the UK population of 64 million would imply we could take somewhere in the region of 320,000 Syrian refugees. | That official formula still stands at one asylum seeker for every 200 residents. It seems a useful benchmark when trying to answer the question of how many refugees Britain should be prepared to take now. Applying that same formula to the UK population of 64 million would imply we could take somewhere in the region of 320,000 Syrian refugees. |
| That is a significant number but a long way short of the 800,000 asylum seekers Germany expects to receive this year. | |
| The problem is not as difficult as it may seem at first glance. Some refugees have means of their own and, unlike asylum seekers, are legally allowed to work, so could be expected to provide their own accommodation after an initial reception period. In 2002 the arrival of asylum seekers provoked a political backlash especially in some specific areas. | The problem is not as difficult as it may seem at first glance. Some refugees have means of their own and, unlike asylum seekers, are legally allowed to work, so could be expected to provide their own accommodation after an initial reception period. In 2002 the arrival of asylum seekers provoked a political backlash especially in some specific areas. |
| One factor that is different now is the emergence of the City of Sanctuary movement to try to ensure asylum seekers are welcomed. This has been officially backed by Sheffield and Birmingham city councils. | |
| Related: David Miliband: failure to take in refugees ‘an abandonment of UK’s humanitarian traditions’ | Related: David Miliband: failure to take in refugees ‘an abandonment of UK’s humanitarian traditions’ |
| There is no point in pretending that there will not be a strong political reaction to a government and home secretary that decided to scale up Britain’s contribution to 50,000-80,000 a year. This could at least be a preliminary target that the UK could offer to Angela Merkel when Europe meets in two weeks to respond to the migration crisis. | There is no point in pretending that there will not be a strong political reaction to a government and home secretary that decided to scale up Britain’s contribution to 50,000-80,000 a year. This could at least be a preliminary target that the UK could offer to Angela Merkel when Europe meets in two weeks to respond to the migration crisis. |
| Leaving it to individual local authorities to say how many they will take leaves their commitment vulnerable to a local hostile reaction, but a central decision by the Home Office, and with funding by them in these straitened times to include education, health and social services, could make it work. As Cooper pointed out, Britain did it in the second world war with the Kindertransport, but we also have a more recent record of humanitarian protection that deserves to be renewed. | Leaving it to individual local authorities to say how many they will take leaves their commitment vulnerable to a local hostile reaction, but a central decision by the Home Office, and with funding by them in these straitened times to include education, health and social services, could make it work. As Cooper pointed out, Britain did it in the second world war with the Kindertransport, but we also have a more recent record of humanitarian protection that deserves to be renewed. |