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PM 'must change tack over refugee crisis or he will lose EU referendum' PM 'must change tack over refugee crisis or he will lose EU referendum'
(7 months later)
David Cameron’s refusal to engage with the international refugee crisis is playing into the hands of Eurosceptics and threatens to let them win the EU referendum, a senior Labour MP is warning.David Cameron’s refusal to engage with the international refugee crisis is playing into the hands of Eurosceptics and threatens to let them win the EU referendum, a senior Labour MP is warning.
Yvette Cooper, the chair of Labour’s refugee taskforce, will say in a major speech on Wednesday that the refugee crisis will play a critical, even decisive, role in the outcome of the referendum.Yvette Cooper, the chair of Labour’s refugee taskforce, will say in a major speech on Wednesday that the refugee crisis will play a critical, even decisive, role in the outcome of the referendum.
Related: Will there be migrant camps in Kent if Britain leaves the EU?
In a speech to the Royal United Services Institute defence thinktank, Cooper will argue that voters who see the EU in chaos over the refugee crisis may respond by wanting to pull up the drawbridge on Europe.In a speech to the Royal United Services Institute defence thinktank, Cooper will argue that voters who see the EU in chaos over the refugee crisis may respond by wanting to pull up the drawbridge on Europe.
She will warn “as long as there is chaos in Europe over the refugee crisis, the Eurosceptics will be able to play on people’s fears. David Cameron has to change tack – or he will end up letting the Eurosceptics win.”She will warn “as long as there is chaos in Europe over the refugee crisis, the Eurosceptics will be able to play on people’s fears. David Cameron has to change tack – or he will end up letting the Eurosceptics win.”
She will claim the prime minister’s strategy on the refugee crisis “is to refuse to engage with Europe at all … That won’t work. It just makes it harder to get the EU reforms we here in Britain will need; harder to get a Europe-wide strategy on security, borders and sanctuary.”She will claim the prime minister’s strategy on the refugee crisis “is to refuse to engage with Europe at all … That won’t work. It just makes it harder to get the EU reforms we here in Britain will need; harder to get a Europe-wide strategy on security, borders and sanctuary.”
She will also warn that the crisis is getting deeper, saying: “Thousands more families are defying the winter waves to cross the Aegean Sea. Over 30 times more smugglers’ boats have arrived this winter than last. Teachers, lawyers, car mechanics, businesspeople, students, children, toddlers are drowning off Europe’s shores.”She will also warn that the crisis is getting deeper, saying: “Thousands more families are defying the winter waves to cross the Aegean Sea. Over 30 times more smugglers’ boats have arrived this winter than last. Teachers, lawyers, car mechanics, businesspeople, students, children, toddlers are drowning off Europe’s shores.”
“The international community is struggling to respond. Europe is divided and destabilised.”“The international community is struggling to respond. Europe is divided and destabilised.”
As a result she warns: “People are getting more anxious and the far right is on the rise. The stakes are high if we just drift on like this. More people suffering. More refugees drowning. More children disappearing. And disorder, instability and hatred in Europe are increasing.”As a result she warns: “People are getting more anxious and the far right is on the rise. The stakes are high if we just drift on like this. More people suffering. More refugees drowning. More children disappearing. And disorder, instability and hatred in Europe are increasing.”
Cooper is one of many pro-European politicians who fear the refugee crisis is not only a humanitarian disaster, but could play a critical role in the referendum campaign in which competing arguments about the best route to UK security are likely to dominate.Cooper is one of many pro-European politicians who fear the refugee crisis is not only a humanitarian disaster, but could play a critical role in the referendum campaign in which competing arguments about the best route to UK security are likely to dominate.
She will say that as spring draws closer and the military crisis in Syria deepens, thousands more are being driven from the country, but Germany will be unable to absorb the same number of refugees this year.She will say that as spring draws closer and the military crisis in Syria deepens, thousands more are being driven from the country, but Germany will be unable to absorb the same number of refugees this year.
Apart from calling on Cameron to do more to offer sanctuary for child refugees, she will call for the reinstatement of border controls within Europe to prevent criminals and traffickers exploiting the crisis and identify those in need of asylum. She will argue that Schengen system – which allows people to travel freely without border checks – is out of date and needs to be dropped.Apart from calling on Cameron to do more to offer sanctuary for child refugees, she will call for the reinstatement of border controls within Europe to prevent criminals and traffickers exploiting the crisis and identify those in need of asylum. She will argue that Schengen system – which allows people to travel freely without border checks – is out of date and needs to be dropped.
She will say: “Schengen was designed for another age and Europe’s governments should stop trying to save it. Expecting Greece and Italy to deliver the entire security, smuggling, immigration and asylum checks for an entire continent is impossible.She will say: “Schengen was designed for another age and Europe’s governments should stop trying to save it. Expecting Greece and Italy to deliver the entire security, smuggling, immigration and asylum checks for an entire continent is impossible.
“We need to stop the smuggling gangs not just at Europe’s external borders but across the continent – and stop them smuggling guns and weapons too.“We need to stop the smuggling gangs not just at Europe’s external borders but across the continent – and stop them smuggling guns and weapons too.
“Too many European elites are clinging onto Schengen as a shibboleth. But there are far more important things they should be standing up for than the freedom not to have your passport checked as you travel from one country to another.”“Too many European elites are clinging onto Schengen as a shibboleth. But there are far more important things they should be standing up for than the freedom not to have your passport checked as you travel from one country to another.”
She will also call for the doubling of investment inside the EU to deal with the crisis in part to ensure that Greece gets more money to deal with the crisis.She will also call for the doubling of investment inside the EU to deal with the crisis in part to ensure that Greece gets more money to deal with the crisis.