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How many refugees should the UK take in? How many refugees should the UK take in?
(35 minutes later)
Patrick Kingsley, migration correspondent: ‘240,000 – but the principle is more important than the number’Patrick Kingsley, migration correspondent: ‘240,000 – but the principle is more important than the number’
To understand Britain’s role in the refugee crisis, it helps to zoom out a bit. So here’s the view from the middle of the Mediterranean, where I’m writing this aboard a Médecins Sans Frontières rescue boat. Earlier this morning, the crew rescued nearly 1,000 Eritrean refugees who are fleeing one of the world’s most brutal dictatorships. The boat is now at twice its capacity, but the Italian coastguards have asked us to stay here instead of returning to Sicily. This is because, in the surrounding waters, we can see several other migrant boats for whom the other rescue missions in the area don’t have the space either.To understand Britain’s role in the refugee crisis, it helps to zoom out a bit. So here’s the view from the middle of the Mediterranean, where I’m writing this aboard a Médecins Sans Frontières rescue boat. Earlier this morning, the crew rescued nearly 1,000 Eritrean refugees who are fleeing one of the world’s most brutal dictatorships. The boat is now at twice its capacity, but the Italian coastguards have asked us to stay here instead of returning to Sicily. This is because, in the surrounding waters, we can see several other migrant boats for whom the other rescue missions in the area don’t have the space either.
What does this tell us? That huge numbers of refugees will try to reach Europe whatever the absurd risks, and whether we like it or not. Logic therefore suggests that we cannot end or solve this migration crisis, only mitigate and manage it better. And the only way of mitigating it would be to do what refugees themselves repeatedly tell us: provide a safe, legal and swift means of resettling in Europe a significant number of Syrians, Eritreans and Afghans, who currently form the bulk of the refugees. Perhaps 2 million might be a big enough figure.What does this tell us? That huge numbers of refugees will try to reach Europe whatever the absurd risks, and whether we like it or not. Logic therefore suggests that we cannot end or solve this migration crisis, only mitigate and manage it better. And the only way of mitigating it would be to do what refugees themselves repeatedly tell us: provide a safe, legal and swift means of resettling in Europe a significant number of Syrians, Eritreans and Afghans, who currently form the bulk of the refugees. Perhaps 2 million might be a big enough figure.
This wouldn’t stop the boats entirely, but it could persuade most potential passengers to have more faith in the process of legal resettlement. In turn they would be more likely to stay put on the other side of the sea while their applications are processed. The advantage for Europe would be that the continent could receive the refugees in a more orderly fashion, rather than see them cluster in Calais, or die inside Austrian vans – or on the waters in front of me.This wouldn’t stop the boats entirely, but it could persuade most potential passengers to have more faith in the process of legal resettlement. In turn they would be more likely to stay put on the other side of the sea while their applications are processed. The advantage for Europe would be that the continent could receive the refugees in a more orderly fashion, rather than see them cluster in Calais, or die inside Austrian vans – or on the waters in front of me.
So where does Britain come in? Well, in order for this to work, Europe would have to spread the newcomers throughout our 500 million members. This need not herald the collapse of European civilisation – the west absorbed 1.3 million refugees after the Vietnam war without a social apocalypse. But it would need every country to take its proportionate share of the burden, and it would require every country to adopt the same asylum policies and procedures – to make sure that refugees would not move between EU states in the way they do today, in search of a more humane system.So where does Britain come in? Well, in order for this to work, Europe would have to spread the newcomers throughout our 500 million members. This need not herald the collapse of European civilisation – the west absorbed 1.3 million refugees after the Vietnam war without a social apocalypse. But it would need every country to take its proportionate share of the burden, and it would require every country to adopt the same asylum policies and procedures – to make sure that refugees would not move between EU states in the way they do today, in search of a more humane system.
To this end, since the UK’s population of roughly 60 million is 12% of Europe’s 500 million, it follows that the UK would take in 12% of my suggested 2 million incoming Syrians, Eritreans and Afghans: 240,000. But the number at this point is not so important. It’s the premise that needs to be understood first.To this end, since the UK’s population of roughly 60 million is 12% of Europe’s 500 million, it follows that the UK would take in 12% of my suggested 2 million incoming Syrians, Eritreans and Afghans: 240,000. But the number at this point is not so important. It’s the premise that needs to be understood first.
Diane Abbott, Labour MP: ‘Enforce rules on asylum claims first, then let’s talk numbers’Diane Abbott, Labour MP: ‘Enforce rules on asylum claims first, then let’s talk numbers’
My colleague Yvette Cooper is right to say the UK should take many more refugees from the political turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa. Nonetheless her proposed figure of 10,000 a month is only part of a holistic solution. My colleague Yvette Cooper is right to say the UK should take many more refugees from the political turmoil in the Middle East and north Africa. Nonetheless, her proposed figure of 10,000 a month is only part of a holistic solution.
The most important thing is to accept that the “refugee crisis” is not something that individual nation states can deal with by building bigger razor wire fences or just waving refugees over the border in the hope that they become some other country’s problem. The desperate refugees approaching the European Union by land and sea are a problem for the EU as a whole. And the issue needs a co-ordinated EU-wide strategy. The most important thing is to accept that the “refugee crisis” is not something that individual nation states can deal with by building bigger razor-wire fences or just waving refugees over the border in the hope that they become some other country’s problem. The desperate refugees approaching the European Union by land and sea are a problem for the EU as a whole. And the issue needs a co-ordinated EU-wide strategy.
Firstly, the rules that say asylum seekers should have their claim dealt with in the first country they come to should be enforced. Obviously the affected countries like Italy and Greece would need a great deal of financial and logistic support to do this swiftly and effectively. And there should probably be Red Cross involvement to ensure that conditions in the reception centres don’t deteriorate as they have done in UK detention centres. First, the rules that say asylum seekers should have their claim dealt with in the first country they come to should be enforced. Obviously the affected countries like Italy and Greece would need a great deal of financial and logistic support to do this swiftly and effectively. And there should probably be Red Cross involvement to ensure that conditions in the reception centres don’t deteriorate as they have done in UK detention centres.
An orderly process of dealing with asylum claims at the earliest point would be infinitely preferable to desperate families laying siege to central European railway stations, risking their lives clinging on to vehicles at Calais or suffocating in vehicles transporting them across borders.An orderly process of dealing with asylum claims at the earliest point would be infinitely preferable to desperate families laying siege to central European railway stations, risking their lives clinging on to vehicles at Calais or suffocating in vehicles transporting them across borders.
Secondly, every EU country should be prepared to take their fair share of asylum seekers, including the Baltic states. But there should be some care taken to ensure that asylum seekers sent to the Baltic states are actually safe, given the tenor of local political commentary. Second, every EU country should be prepared to take its fair share of asylum seekers, including the Baltic states. But there should be some care taken to ensure that asylum seekers sent to the Baltic states are actually safe, given the tenor of local political commentary.
The exact figure the UK should take is subject to overall numbers. But it should be at least 10,000 a month. Dealing with the current refugee flows has been a test of European solidarity and common humanity. So far, the EU has failed to act as a whole and so has failed this test dismally. Thousands of desperate refugees are suffering and dying as a result. The exact figure the UK should take is subject to overall numbers. But it should be at least 10,000 a month. Dealing with the current refugee flows has been a test of European solidarity and common humanity. So far, the EU has failed to act as a whole, and so has failed this test dismally. Thousands of desperate refugees are suffering and dying as a result.
Daniel Hannan, Conservative MEP: ‘We can’t let people who break the law jump the queue’Daniel Hannan, Conservative MEP: ‘We can’t let people who break the law jump the queue’
I’ve spent the past five days in southern Italy, on a social action project doing up a hostel for underage migrants. The youngsters in the reception centre, who eagerly joined in the work to break the monotony of their day, were mainly from sub-Saharan Africa, and some had heart-breaking stories. They were guilty of nothing more than courage, resourcefulness and optimism, and I hope that, in their position, I’d be brave enough to do as they have done. But few of them were, in the legal sense, refugees. I’ve spent the past five days in southern Italy, on a social action project doing up a hostel for underage migrants. The youngsters in the reception centre, who eagerly joined in the work to break the monotony of their day, were mainly from sub-Saharan Africa, and some had heartbreaking stories. They were guilty of nothing more than courage, resourcefulness and optimism, and I hope that, in their position, I’d be brave enough to do as they have done. But few of them were, in the legal sense, refugees.
If the UK admitted everyone wanting to flee poverty and misery, we’d be opening our doors to hundreds of millions of people. Unless we’re prepared to do that, accepting 10,000 asylum seekers is moral posturing. More than 20,000 people arrived in Greece just last week.If the UK admitted everyone wanting to flee poverty and misery, we’d be opening our doors to hundreds of millions of people. Unless we’re prepared to do that, accepting 10,000 asylum seekers is moral posturing. More than 20,000 people arrived in Greece just last week.
If we automatically accept all those who make the journey, we contract out our immigration policy to people smugglers. Instead of taking the people who have applied properly and waited in line, we allow people to jump the queue by breaking the law.If we automatically accept all those who make the journey, we contract out our immigration policy to people smugglers. Instead of taking the people who have applied properly and waited in line, we allow people to jump the queue by breaking the law.
I see no long-term solution unless we break the automatic link between boarding a rickety boat in Libya and being able to stay in the EU. Until we start processing claims offshore, thousands more will die in these hellish crossings.I see no long-term solution unless we break the automatic link between boarding a rickety boat in Libya and being able to stay in the EU. Until we start processing claims offshore, thousands more will die in these hellish crossings.
Nor is it clear why Britain owes a special responsibility to the EU. There is another boats crisis, largely unreported, as refugees from Burma arrive in India, Bangladesh and Malaysia. Do we not have a greater duty to assist these Commonwealth countries, old friends as they are? Nor is it clear why Britain owes a special responsibility to the EU. There is another boats crisis, largely unreported, as refugees from Myanmar arrive in India, Bangladesh and Malaysia. Do we not have a greater duty to assist these Commonwealth countries, old friends as they are?
Most of my constituents will accept a measure of legal immigration, provided they feel that we have some rough control over who arrives and in what numbers. Outside the EU, we could have a skills-based immigration policy that does not discriminate against Commonwealth nationals, and makes space for asylum seekers. Both left and right could live with it. But not until we recover the right to decide for ourselves who can enter Britain.Most of my constituents will accept a measure of legal immigration, provided they feel that we have some rough control over who arrives and in what numbers. Outside the EU, we could have a skills-based immigration policy that does not discriminate against Commonwealth nationals, and makes space for asylum seekers. Both left and right could live with it. But not until we recover the right to decide for ourselves who can enter Britain.
Tim Finch, migration expert: ‘50,000 – but managed refugee protection is what’s needed’Tim Finch, migration expert: ‘50,000 – but managed refugee protection is what’s needed’
According to the most recent figures from the UN, the UK was housing around 150,000 refugees by the end of 2014. This is not a negligible number (the same figures show that many rich, industrialised states take in fewer refugees) but unlike some countries, Britain is certainly not over-burdened. Per capita, Sweden and Malta have the highest refugee populations in Europe.According to the most recent figures from the UN, the UK was housing around 150,000 refugees by the end of 2014. This is not a negligible number (the same figures show that many rich, industrialised states take in fewer refugees) but unlike some countries, Britain is certainly not over-burdened. Per capita, Sweden and Malta have the highest refugee populations in Europe.
Germany expects to take in around 800,000 refugees this year – almost double its 2014 figure. Meanwhile countries such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan are providing sanctuary to most of the 4 million people displaced by the Syrian conflict. Lebanon, for example, has 232 refugees living in its territory for every 1,000 of its citizens. Germany expects to take in around 800,000 refugees this year – almost double its 2014 figure. Meanwhile, countries such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan are providing sanctuary to most of the 4 million people displaced by the Syrian conflict. Lebanon, for example, has 232 refugees living in its territory for every 1,000 of its citizens.
In this context, and given the scale of the current crisis, Britain can – and indeed should – take in 10,000 refugees immediately. As Yvette Cooper’s speech highlighted, we’ve taken similar measures in the past, most recently during the Kosovo crisis, and the country coped easily. It should also be remembered that the number of asylum claims – currently around 25,000 annually and stable for more than a decade – was above 100,000 in the early 2000s, and though this provoked political controversy, absorbing such numbers did not cause major economic or social problems.In this context, and given the scale of the current crisis, Britain can – and indeed should – take in 10,000 refugees immediately. As Yvette Cooper’s speech highlighted, we’ve taken similar measures in the past, most recently during the Kosovo crisis, and the country coped easily. It should also be remembered that the number of asylum claims – currently around 25,000 annually and stable for more than a decade – was above 100,000 in the early 2000s, and though this provoked political controversy, absorbing such numbers did not cause major economic or social problems.
The real issue, however, is not whether Britain should take 10, 20 or even 50,000 refugees now (though I’d favour the higher number), it is the need for a better long-term response. Currently the way Britain and other European countries take in refugees is dangerous and disorderly and fuels a sense of crisis. A much better way would be to introduce a system of what I call managed refugee protection, through active resettlement of refugees from UN camps. If the British government took this approach, it would be much easier for ministers to persuade the British public to be generous to refugees, not just now, but into the future. The real issue, however, is not whether Britain should take 10, 20 or even 50,000 refugees now (though I’d favour the higher number), it is the need for a better long-term response. Currently, the way Britain and other European countries take in refugees is dangerous and disorderly, and fuels a sense of crisis. A much better way would be to introduce a system of what I call managed refugee protection, through active resettlement of refugees from UN camps. If the British government took this approach, it would be much easier for ministers to persuade the British public to be generous to refugees, not just now, but into the future.