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| Labour tells Theresa May to 'be British, be bold' in refugee crisis | Labour tells Theresa May to 'be British, be bold' in refugee crisis |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, has urged the government to take part in the EU’s relocation programme for refugees who have already reached Europe. | The shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, has urged the government to take part in the EU’s relocation programme for refugees who have already reached Europe. |
| In a House of Commons emergency debate on the refugee crisis, Cooper made an impassioned plea to the home secretary, Theresa May, in particular to help relieve the pressure on Greece, where more than 200,000 people have landed so far this year after crossing the Mediterranean. “We cannot turn our backs on those who have reached Europe,” she said. | In a House of Commons emergency debate on the refugee crisis, Cooper made an impassioned plea to the home secretary, Theresa May, in particular to help relieve the pressure on Greece, where more than 200,000 people have landed so far this year after crossing the Mediterranean. “We cannot turn our backs on those who have reached Europe,” she said. |
| May denied that a refusal to take part in the EU relocation programme did not mean Britain was not helping other European countries. She pointed to Britain’s contribution in helping to set up “hotspot” asylum processing centres in Greece and Italy. | May denied that a refusal to take part in the EU relocation programme did not mean Britain was not helping other European countries. She pointed to Britain’s contribution in helping to set up “hotspot” asylum processing centres in Greece and Italy. |
| During the debate, one Tory, Adam Holloway, a former soldier, outraged some MPs by complaining that he couldn’t get his hair cut recently because his refugee barber had gone back on holiday to the country he was supposed to be fleeing from. | During the debate, one Tory, Adam Holloway, a former soldier, outraged some MPs by complaining that he couldn’t get his hair cut recently because his refugee barber had gone back on holiday to the country he was supposed to be fleeing from. |
| Related: How does UK refugee commitment compare with other countries? | |
| May declined to give any more details about how many Syrian refugees would arrive in Britain within the next 12 months as part of Britain’s programme to take 20,000 over the next five years direct from camps in countries neighbouring Syria. | May declined to give any more details about how many Syrian refugees would arrive in Britain within the next 12 months as part of Britain’s programme to take 20,000 over the next five years direct from camps in countries neighbouring Syria. |
| She said the programme would be “scaled up as soon as possible” but declined to put any figure on how many of the 20,000 would arrive by Christmas or within the first 12 months. | She said the programme would be “scaled up as soon as possible” but declined to put any figure on how many of the 20,000 would arrive by Christmas or within the first 12 months. |
| Cooper said Britain could do far more than take in 4,000 Syrian refugees a year for the next five years. “The crisis is now and helping 4,000 refugees this year isn’t enough,” she said. | Cooper said Britain could do far more than take in 4,000 Syrian refugees a year for the next five years. “The crisis is now and helping 4,000 refugees this year isn’t enough,” she said. |
| “Four thousand compared to the 24,000 in France, hundreds of thousands in Germany; 4,000 compared to our population of 60 million, 4,000 compared to the 10,000 we helped in just nine months under the Kindertransport, 4,000 compared to the 19,000 Vietnamese boat people who fled to Britain from the Vietcong and 4,000 compared to the 24,000 Kosovans that came to Britain in the late 90s. We can do more than this.” | “Four thousand compared to the 24,000 in France, hundreds of thousands in Germany; 4,000 compared to our population of 60 million, 4,000 compared to the 10,000 we helped in just nine months under the Kindertransport, 4,000 compared to the 19,000 Vietnamese boat people who fled to Britain from the Vietcong and 4,000 compared to the 24,000 Kosovans that came to Britain in the late 90s. We can do more than this.” |
| Cooper told May that she should contact the European commission, “be British, be bold” and offer to share responsibility with Greece and Italy for the refugees who had reached Europe. “We cannot stand on the sidelines and watch while this happens, we cannot be the generation that turns our backs. We need a bigger plan,” she said. | Cooper told May that she should contact the European commission, “be British, be bold” and offer to share responsibility with Greece and Italy for the refugees who had reached Europe. “We cannot stand on the sidelines and watch while this happens, we cannot be the generation that turns our backs. We need a bigger plan,” she said. |
| The European commission is expected to propose that its emergency relocation programme should be expanded from 40,000 to 160,000 over the next two years. | The European commission is expected to propose that its emergency relocation programme should be expanded from 40,000 to 160,000 over the next two years. |
| May said: “Our approach is focused on four main efforts: providing aid directly to those who need it, stopping people from putting themselves in danger as they seek our help, resettling those who most need our protection and leading international efforts to bring the situation to an end as swiftly as possible.” | May said: “Our approach is focused on four main efforts: providing aid directly to those who need it, stopping people from putting themselves in danger as they seek our help, resettling those who most need our protection and leading international efforts to bring the situation to an end as swiftly as possible.” |
| She said the government would work with the United Nations high commissioner for refugees to identify the most vulnerable to be brought to Britain under the resettlement scheme. | She said the government would work with the United Nations high commissioner for refugees to identify the most vulnerable to be brought to Britain under the resettlement scheme. |
| “We need to make sure there is appropriate accommodation for people when they arrive here in the United Kingdom,” she said. “So we will work with the UNHCR, we will scale up as quickly as we can, but I am sorry to say I cannot put a figure on the first year.” | “We need to make sure there is appropriate accommodation for people when they arrive here in the United Kingdom,” she said. “So we will work with the UNHCR, we will scale up as quickly as we can, but I am sorry to say I cannot put a figure on the first year.” |