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Cameron limits UK's Syrian refugee intake 'to discourage risky journeys' Cameron limits UK's Syrian refugee intake 'to discourage risky journeys'
(35 minutes later)
David Cameron has set limits on his plan to accepts thousands of extra refugees from Syria when he rejected any involvement in an EU scheme for compulsory quotas, saying they would encourage “dangerous” journeys across the Mediterranean. David Cameron has set limits on his plan to accept thousands of extra refugees from Syria after he rejected any involvement in an EU scheme for compulsory quotas, saying they would encourage “dangerous” journeys across the Mediterranean.
As aid groups said the prime minister’s change of heart fell a long way short of refugees’ needs, Cameron insisted Britain’s main focus would continue to be on providing aid for camps in Syria’s neighbouring countries.As aid groups said the prime minister’s change of heart fell a long way short of refugees’ needs, Cameron insisted Britain’s main focus would continue to be on providing aid for camps in Syria’s neighbouring countries.
Speaking after talks in Madrid with his Spanish counterpart, Mariano Rajoy, the prime minister announced that Britain would allocate an additional £100m to help refugees in the camps. This makes the UK the biggest donor in terms of financial aid in the EU, with £1bn committed to the Syrian refugees since 2012. Speaking after talks in Madrid with his Spanish counterpart, Mariano Rajoy, the prime minister announced that Britain will allocate an additional £100m to help refugees in the camps. This would make the UK the biggest donor in terms of financial aid in the EU, with £1bn committed to the Syrian refugees since 2012.
Cameron announced the extra funding after responding to widespread grief at the picture of Aylan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian boy found dead on a Turkish beach. He vowed that Britain will take thousands of extra refugees and Downing Street will give a clearer indication on the numbers next week. -The UN refugee agency, meanwhile, has distanced itself from a suggestion that Britain would accept 4,000 refugees, a claim apparently based on a report by Sky News. Cameron announced the extra funding after responding to widespread grief at the picture of Aylan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian boy found dead on a Turkish beach. He vowed that Britain will take thousands of extra refugees and Downing Street will give a clearer indication on the numbers next week. The UN refugee agency, meanwhile, has distanced itself from a suggestion that Britain was going to accept 4,000 refugees, a claim apparently based on a report by Sky News.
The prime minister made clear that the number of refugees the UK will accept would fall well below the 18,000 suggested by the European commission as part of a compulsory quota. Britain is under no obligation to take part in the commission scheme and the prime minister refused on the grounds that it would encourage people to make perilous journeys across Europe.The prime minister made clear that the number of refugees the UK will accept would fall well below the 18,000 suggested by the European commission as part of a compulsory quota. Britain is under no obligation to take part in the commission scheme and the prime minister refused on the grounds that it would encourage people to make perilous journeys across Europe.
He said: “We are saying we are not part of Schengen [the border-free zone in parts of Europe], we are not part of the decision-making about this quota. We happen to believe this is not the right approach because it had encouraged people to make the journey.He said: “We are saying we are not part of Schengen [the border-free zone in parts of Europe], we are not part of the decision-making about this quota. We happen to believe this is not the right approach because it had encouraged people to make the journey.
“But nonetheless we, as a moral nation, will fulfil our moral obligations, our humanitarian obligations, by taking people directly from Syrian refugee camps. We will work with others in Europe to try and strengthen the external borders of the EU even though we are not a Schengen nation.“But nonetheless we, as a moral nation, will fulfil our moral obligations, our humanitarian obligations, by taking people directly from Syrian refugee camps. We will work with others in Europe to try and strengthen the external borders of the EU even though we are not a Schengen nation.
“So I would say we are entering absolutely into the spirit of what others are doing. But we have a very clear view. The best [way] to help them is not to encourage them to make this dangerous journey but to resettle them in the refugee camps.”“So I would say we are entering absolutely into the spirit of what others are doing. But we have a very clear view. The best [way] to help them is not to encourage them to make this dangerous journey but to resettle them in the refugee camps.”
British officials indicated the extra refugees would be admitted from Syrian border camps under the vulnerable persons relocation scheme. The criteria of the scheme, which is only open to victims of torture or sexual violence or elderly and disabled people, are expected to be relaxed. So far, 216 refugees have been settled under this scheme while a further 4,980 have applied for asylum in the UK.British officials indicated the extra refugees would be admitted from Syrian border camps under the vulnerable persons relocation scheme. The criteria of the scheme, which is only open to victims of torture or sexual violence or elderly and disabled people, are expected to be relaxed. So far, 216 refugees have been settled under this scheme while a further 4,980 have applied for asylum in the UK.
The prime minister said in Madrid: “Britain has a moral responsibility to help these refugees as we have done throughout our history. We have already provided sanctuary to more than 5,000 Syrians in Britain, and earlier today, in Lisbon, I announced that we would expand our approach and offer resettlement for thousands more Syrian refugees currently in UN camps across the region. We will work with NGOs and partners on the detail of these schemes and we will set out further details next week.”The prime minister said in Madrid: “Britain has a moral responsibility to help these refugees as we have done throughout our history. We have already provided sanctuary to more than 5,000 Syrians in Britain, and earlier today, in Lisbon, I announced that we would expand our approach and offer resettlement for thousands more Syrian refugees currently in UN camps across the region. We will work with NGOs and partners on the detail of these schemes and we will set out further details next week.”
Cameron also rejected a proposal by the shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, for the government to exempt asylum seekers from its net migration target. Cooper said that including refugees in the target, which is designed to bring net migration down to the tens of thousands, is one of the reasons why the government has accepted so few refugees.Cameron also rejected a proposal by the shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, for the government to exempt asylum seekers from its net migration target. Cooper said that including refugees in the target, which is designed to bring net migration down to the tens of thousands, is one of the reasons why the government has accepted so few refugees.
The prime minister said: “It is right to distinguish between economic migration and refugees and asylum seekers. Is it right to take them out of some sort of target? I don’t believe it is because I believe the British public’s view is very straightforward and very sensible, which is they want to know that, taken as a whole, our immigration and asylum system and our arrangements for allowing people to come to our country are under good control.”The prime minister said: “It is right to distinguish between economic migration and refugees and asylum seekers. Is it right to take them out of some sort of target? I don’t believe it is because I believe the British public’s view is very straightforward and very sensible, which is they want to know that, taken as a whole, our immigration and asylum system and our arrangements for allowing people to come to our country are under good control.”
Justin Forsyth, chief executive of Save the Children, said Cameron’s plans did not go far enough. He said: “We need a level of ambition that matches the scale of the challenge. With more than 4 million refugees living in appalling conditions in the region, the government should name a figure – at least 10,000 – of the number of Syrians we will take in. The UK should also be offering to rehome 3,000 of the unaccompanied children who have already come to Europe on their own from across the Middle East and Africa.”Justin Forsyth, chief executive of Save the Children, said Cameron’s plans did not go far enough. He said: “We need a level of ambition that matches the scale of the challenge. With more than 4 million refugees living in appalling conditions in the region, the government should name a figure – at least 10,000 – of the number of Syrians we will take in. The UK should also be offering to rehome 3,000 of the unaccompanied children who have already come to Europe on their own from across the Middle East and Africa.”
The prime minister also indicated that the election of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader would make it less likely that he would seek to win parliamentary approval to extend air strikes against Islamic State targets from Iraq to Syria. “I would only proceed going further on this issue if there is genuine consensus about it before going back to parliament.”The prime minister also indicated that the election of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader would make it less likely that he would seek to win parliamentary approval to extend air strikes against Islamic State targets from Iraq to Syria. “I would only proceed going further on this issue if there is genuine consensus about it before going back to parliament.”