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MPs debate UK plan to take 20,000 Syrian refugees MPs debate UK plan to take 20,000 Syrian refugees
(35 minutes later)
MPs are staging an emergency debate on Britain's response to the Syrian refugee crisis. MPs are staging an emergency debate secured by Labour on Britain's response to the Syrian refugee crisis.
David Cameron has said the UK will accept up to 20,000 people from camps surrounding Syria by 2020, with priority given to vulnerable children.David Cameron has said the UK will accept up to 20,000 people from camps surrounding Syria by 2020, with priority given to vulnerable children.
But Labour said that was inadequate and secured the three-hour Commons debate. But shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said it was inadequate and called for the UK to accept people who have already reached Europe.
Opening the debate, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said she hoped a consensus could be built on further action "that Britain needs to take". She said the crisis was not going to go away and Britain "should do our bit".
She has said the UK must also help refugees who have already reached Europe. Follow the debate on our Westminster Live page
On Monday, the prime minister said the UK had a "moral responsibility" to those displaced by the conflict in Syria.On Monday, the prime minister said the UK had a "moral responsibility" to those displaced by the conflict in Syria.
But he said taking people from camps in Syria, Turkey and Jordan would provide a "direct and safe" route to safety, instead of encouraging them to make the "hazardous" journey across the Mediterranean by boat.But he said taking people from camps in Syria, Turkey and Jordan would provide a "direct and safe" route to safety, instead of encouraging them to make the "hazardous" journey across the Mediterranean by boat.
The new arrivals will be offered five-year humanitarian visas, under the Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme, and their resettlement will be paid for in the first year from the overseas aid budget.The new arrivals will be offered five-year humanitarian visas, under the Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme, and their resettlement will be paid for in the first year from the overseas aid budget.
The UK has been forced to defend its response to the migrant crisis in recent days.The UK has been forced to defend its response to the migrant crisis in recent days.
Mr Cameron has refused to take part in a proposed EU-wide quota system to resettle those people already in Europe, instead pointing to the UK's contribution of £1bn in humanitarian aid to Syria.Mr Cameron has refused to take part in a proposed EU-wide quota system to resettle those people already in Europe, instead pointing to the UK's contribution of £1bn in humanitarian aid to Syria.
He had said that taking more people into the UK was not "the simple answer" to the crisis, but on Monday, announced the UK would do more.He had said that taking more people into the UK was not "the simple answer" to the crisis, but on Monday, announced the UK would do more.
However, the Green Party's Caroline Lucas said the commitment to resettle 20,000 refugees "falls pitifully short of what's needed", while the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby called it a "very slim response". But Ms Cooper said, as she opened the debate, that plans to resettle 20,000 more refugees from the camps in and around Syria, while welcome, did not go far enough.
"The crisis is now and helping 4,000 refugees this year isn't enough," she told the House of Commons.
Criticising the government's decision not to offer help to those already in Europe, Ms Cooper said: "I don't agree we should turn our backs.
"I don't agree we should say that the crisis in Europe is nothing to do with us and the only people that we will help will be from the Syrian camps themselves... We need a bigger plan."
She urged the government to collaborate with councils, charities and faith groups to assess what level of support could be offered and to then help them to deliver it.
A target for how many people to take in one year could then be set, and assessed on an annual basis, she argued.
Ms Cooper rejected the idea of setting a cap on numbers "when we don't yet know the circumstances in the years to come".
It had "the feel of coming up with a plan to maximise the headline number but to minimise the impact year on year", she added.
The Green Party's Caroline Lucas has said the commitment to resettle 20,000 refugees "falls pitifully short of what's needed", while the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby called it a "very slim response".
'Frontloaded''Frontloaded'
An estimated 340,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Europe so far this year, most braving dangerous sea journeys from North Africa and Turkey.An estimated 340,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Europe so far this year, most braving dangerous sea journeys from North Africa and Turkey.
France said on Monday it would take in 24,000 refugees over the next two years, while about 18,000 people arrived in Germany last weekend alone.France said on Monday it would take in 24,000 refugees over the next two years, while about 18,000 people arrived in Germany last weekend alone.
But Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania have all joined the UK in rejecting the idea of official resettlement quotas.But Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania have all joined the UK in rejecting the idea of official resettlement quotas.
Ms Cooper, who persuaded Commons Speaker John Bercow to allow Tuesday's emergency debate, urged the prime minister to reconsider and "look at what more we are able to do with councils, with communities across the country who have come forward asking to help".
The Labour leadership candidate also dismissed the argument for restricting the scheme to those still in regional camps.
"He [the PM] has said he does not want to encourage people to travel - I would say to him they are travelling already, they are not waiting for a response from the British government," she said.
Maurice Wren, Refugee Council chief executive, said the government's programme must be "frontloaded" as people "cannot wait until 2020 to reach safety".Maurice Wren, Refugee Council chief executive, said the government's programme must be "frontloaded" as people "cannot wait until 2020 to reach safety".
Save the Children said the UK announcement would "make a real difference", but it must also take some of the thousands of unaccompanied Syrian children who have already travelled to Europe.Save the Children said the UK announcement would "make a real difference", but it must also take some of the thousands of unaccompanied Syrian children who have already travelled to Europe.
The Petitions Committee will decide on Tuesday whether a petition calling for the UK to accept more refugees - which has more than 425,000 signatories - will be granted a Parliamentary debate.The Petitions Committee will decide on Tuesday whether a petition calling for the UK to accept more refugees - which has more than 425,000 signatories - will be granted a Parliamentary debate.
Meanwhile, the influx of migrants to Europe shows no signs of abating.Meanwhile, the influx of migrants to Europe shows no signs of abating.
The UN is sending more staff and ships to deal with the increasingly desperate situation on the Greek island of Lesbos where some 25,000 migrants are stranded and living in squalid conditions.The UN is sending more staff and ships to deal with the increasingly desperate situation on the Greek island of Lesbos where some 25,000 migrants are stranded and living in squalid conditions.