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Nicola Sturgeon: Scotland ready to take 1,000 refugees Nicola Sturgeon: Scotland ready to take 1,000 refugees
(35 minutes later)
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said Scotland "stands ready to offer sanctuary" to refugees.Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said Scotland "stands ready to offer sanctuary" to refugees.
Ms Sturgeon said Scotland should accept 1,000 refugees "as a starting point for a meaningful discussion".Ms Sturgeon said Scotland should accept 1,000 refugees "as a starting point for a meaningful discussion".
She was speaking at a summit aimed at examining what Scotland can do to help ease the international refugee crisis.She was speaking at a summit aimed at examining what Scotland can do to help ease the international refugee crisis.
She earlier wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron calling for the UK to accept more refugees. The first minister earlier wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron calling for the UK to accept more refugees.
Ms Sturgeon has previously described being "reduced to tears" by images of three-year-old Alan Kurdi, whose body was washed up on a Turkish shore.
Mr Cameron has said the UK would fulfil its "moral responsibilities".
On Friday morning, the prime minister said he would set out plans next week for the UK to take "thousands more" refugees from camps on the Syrian borders.On Friday morning, the prime minister said he would set out plans next week for the UK to take "thousands more" refugees from camps on the Syrian borders.
He said the extra refugees would come from UN camps bordering Syria, and not from among people already in Europe.He said the extra refugees would come from UN camps bordering Syria, and not from among people already in Europe.
Britain would act with its "head and heart", he said, as he pledged to find long-term solutions to the crisis.Britain would act with its "head and heart", he said, as he pledged to find long-term solutions to the crisis.
No specific figure has been given but the UN refugee agency said the UK would take a further 4,000 Syrian refugees.No specific figure has been given but the UN refugee agency said the UK would take a further 4,000 Syrian refugees.
Ms Sturgeon said she would like more detail on Mr Cameron's plans but welcomed the change in mood on the crisis. Ms Sturgeon criticised the UK government, accusing it of "struggling to show leadership in this refugee crisis".
There is cross-party support in the Scottish Parliament for the UK to take more refugees, with Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson telling MSPs on Thursday: "This is not an immigration issue, it's a humanitarian one, and the human response must be to help." She said she would like more detail on Mr Cameron's plans but welcomed the change in mood.
Ms Sturgeon said Scotland was "ready to help offer sanctuary to refugees who need our help" as she criticised Mr Cameron, accusing the prime minister of taking a "walk on by on the other side approach" to the international situation. The first minister said there was cross-party support in the Scottish Parliament for a practical response to a humanitarian crisis that is "shocking the world".
Her letter to the prime minister reads: "We, with our neighbours and friends across the EU, have a moral obligation to offer a place of safety to these desperate people fleeing conflict and persecution. I welcomed the expansion of the Syrian Vulnerable Person scheme but I would stress that this in itself is not sufficient to address the crisis we are witnessing. Ms Sturgeon said that the UN had estimated that 333,000 people had tried to cross the Mediterranean in the past three months and almost 3,000 had died.
"I strongly urge you to reconsider the UK government's current response. The Scottish government believes we must take part in the EU response. She said the people of the UK would be "haunted" for generations if they did not help those in desperate need.
"We can start by participating in the initial EU proposals on relocation and refugee resettlement. The UK must take a proportionate share of people fleeing conflict and persecution." Ms Sturgeon admitted that the long-term solution to the crisis was to bring stability to the countries people were fleeing such as Syria.
'Positive response' However, she said that Scotland and the UK had a moral obligation to take a "fair and proportionate share" of those seeking a place of safety.
The refugee summit organised by the first minister will bring together politicians, charities, religious groups and other representatives of civic Scotland to discuss the international situation and set out what Scotland can do to help. The refugee summit organised by the first minister is bringing together politicians, charities, religious groups and other representatives of civic Scotland to discuss the international situation and set out what Scotland can do to help.
Naomi McAuliffe, programme director of Amnesty International in Scotland, is among those who will attend the meeting. Ms Sturgeon said: "It has been suggested that we in Scotland should ready ourselves now to accept 1,000 refugees and I certainly believe we should do so - not as a cap or a limit but as a starting point for a meaningful discussion about how much we can practically contribute."
Naomi McAuliffe, programme director of Amnesty International in Scotland, is among those attending the meeting.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme, she said the UK could increase the number of refugees it takes in.Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme, she said the UK could increase the number of refugees it takes in.
"A tiny amount of Syrians have been settled in the UK - 216 people - but two thirds of those have been in Glasgow," she said."A tiny amount of Syrians have been settled in the UK - 216 people - but two thirds of those have been in Glasgow," she said.
"Scotland has demonstrated that it does have a far more positive response to these kind of humanitarian disasters and therefore it is quite positive for refugees to come into that context.""Scotland has demonstrated that it does have a far more positive response to these kind of humanitarian disasters and therefore it is quite positive for refugees to come into that context."
She added: "Certainly in terms of our current intake of refugees, the UK is falling far far below other EU countries so I think we can definitely up the number that we're taking at the moment."She added: "Certainly in terms of our current intake of refugees, the UK is falling far far below other EU countries so I think we can definitely up the number that we're taking at the moment."
Meanwhile, Labour's sole Scottish MP has urged the SNP to use an opportunity at Westminster on Wednesday to hold the UK government to account over its response to the migrant and refugee crisis in Europe.Meanwhile, Labour's sole Scottish MP has urged the SNP to use an opportunity at Westminster on Wednesday to hold the UK government to account over its response to the migrant and refugee crisis in Europe.
Shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray has written to the Nationalists' Westminster leader Angus Robertson asking him to use an SNP-led opposition debate in the Commons to discuss and vote on the issue.Shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray has written to the Nationalists' Westminster leader Angus Robertson asking him to use an SNP-led opposition debate in the Commons to discuss and vote on the issue.
There is likely to be huge pressure on ministers to provide answers in parliament next week when MPs return from their summer break.There is likely to be huge pressure on ministers to provide answers in parliament next week when MPs return from their summer break.