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| David Cameron announces concessions on Syrian child refugees | David Cameron announces concessions on Syrian child refugees |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| David Cameron has given in to calls for the UK to accept unaccompanied refugee children from Greece, Italy and France in a bid to avoid defeat in the House of Commons. | David Cameron has given in to calls for the UK to accept unaccompanied refugee children from Greece, Italy and France in a bid to avoid defeat in the House of Commons. |
| The prime minister climbed down in the face of a growing rebellion among Conservative MPs who were preparing to back an amendment by the Labour peer Lord Dubs. | |
| Related: Cameron promises to do more to help child refugees in partial climbdown - Politics live | Related: Cameron promises to do more to help child refugees in partial climbdown - Politics live |
| Confirming the U-turn, Cameron paid tribute to Dubs, who came to Britain as a refugee through the Kindertransport and had led the campaign for the UK to take 3,000 unaccompanied children from camps within Europe. | Confirming the U-turn, Cameron paid tribute to Dubs, who came to Britain as a refugee through the Kindertransport and had led the campaign for the UK to take 3,000 unaccompanied children from camps within Europe. |
| Dubs’s first attempt was voted down by Conservative MPs, but the peer resubmitted the amendment without a specific figure included and this will now be accepted by the government. | Dubs’s first attempt was voted down by Conservative MPs, but the peer resubmitted the amendment without a specific figure included and this will now be accepted by the government. |
| Downing Street could not say how many child refugees would be accepted under the new plans but a spokesman said the government would consult with councils about accepting under-16s who registered as unaccompanied refugees in Europe before 20 March. | Downing Street could not say how many child refugees would be accepted under the new plans but a spokesman said the government would consult with councils about accepting under-16s who registered as unaccompanied refugees in Europe before 20 March. |
| The plan to accept only children already in Europe preserves Cameron’s principle of not creating a “pull factor” that would encourage parents to send their children on perilous journeys with people traffickers. | The plan to accept only children already in Europe preserves Cameron’s principle of not creating a “pull factor” that would encourage parents to send their children on perilous journeys with people traffickers. |
| “No country has done more than Britain to help when it comes to Syrian refugees,” Cameron told MPs. | “No country has done more than Britain to help when it comes to Syrian refugees,” Cameron told MPs. |
| Related: Child refugees: Cameron retreat avoids Tory revolt and numbers game | Related: Child refugees: Cameron retreat avoids Tory revolt and numbers game |
| “But I do want us to proceed with as much support across the house as I can. I think it is right to stick to the principle that we shouldn’t be encouraging people to make this dangerous journey. I think it is right to stick to the idea that we invest in the refugee camps in the neighbouring countries.” | “But I do want us to proceed with as much support across the house as I can. I think it is right to stick to the principle that we shouldn’t be encouraging people to make this dangerous journey. I think it is right to stick to the idea that we invest in the refugee camps in the neighbouring countries.” |
| But he said that he was willing to speed up the process of taking child migrants with family links in the UK, and do more for children who arrived in the UK ahead of a deal between the EU and Turkey. | But he said that he was willing to speed up the process of taking child migrants with family links in the UK, and do more for children who arrived in the UK ahead of a deal between the EU and Turkey. |
| “It won’t be necessary to send the Dubs amendment back ... the amendment doesn’t mention a number of people. We are going to go round the local authorities to see what we can do,” said Cameron. | “It won’t be necessary to send the Dubs amendment back ... the amendment doesn’t mention a number of people. We are going to go round the local authorities to see what we can do,” said Cameron. |
| But he insisted that he wanted the UK to stick to the principle that the priority was to take children from camps in the region from which they were fleeing. | |
| He said that “housing them, clothing them, feeding them” was today’s equivalent of the Kindertransport, not taking children from European countries that ought to already to be a safe haven. | |
| The intervention was immediately welcomed by the SNP’s Westminster leader, Angus Robertson, while a key Tory MP who was minded to vote with Dubs, Heidi Allen, tweeted her support. | The intervention was immediately welcomed by the SNP’s Westminster leader, Angus Robertson, while a key Tory MP who was minded to vote with Dubs, Heidi Allen, tweeted her support. |
| Dubs also said he was pleased that Cameron was taking steps to “ease the plight of some of the unaccompanied child refugees in Europe”. | Dubs also said he was pleased that Cameron was taking steps to “ease the plight of some of the unaccompanied child refugees in Europe”. |
| He added: “I trust the prime minister will be true to his word and move swiftly to ensure the Home Office works closely with local authorities to find foster families to give these young people a stable and secure home.” | He added: “I trust the prime minister will be true to his word and move swiftly to ensure the Home Office works closely with local authorities to find foster families to give these young people a stable and secure home.” |
| However, Labour said the plan did not go far enough, with a spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn arguing that more than 3,000 child refugees should be welcomed to the UK. | However, Labour said the plan did not go far enough, with a spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn arguing that more than 3,000 child refugees should be welcomed to the UK. |
| Refugee and children’s rights groups were scrambling to clarify whether Cameron’s announcement referred to the speeding up of existing and legally binding processes to allow family reunification or whether it would lead to additional children being allowed into Britain from Europe. | Refugee and children’s rights groups were scrambling to clarify whether Cameron’s announcement referred to the speeding up of existing and legally binding processes to allow family reunification or whether it would lead to additional children being allowed into Britain from Europe. |
| A spokeswoman for Save the Children said that it expected further details from the government soon. She added: “We have spoken to various levels of government and various departments about the extreme risks that these children face – and where the UK can best intervene. This includes how the relocation of the most vulnerable children – which Save the Children has long called for – would work in practice.” | A spokeswoman for Save the Children said that it expected further details from the government soon. She added: “We have spoken to various levels of government and various departments about the extreme risks that these children face – and where the UK can best intervene. This includes how the relocation of the most vulnerable children – which Save the Children has long called for – would work in practice.” |
| Save the Children’s chief executive, Tanya Steele, said the charity welcomed “today’s significant announcement that the UK will offer them sanctuary and the chance to build a new life here”. | Save the Children’s chief executive, Tanya Steele, said the charity welcomed “today’s significant announcement that the UK will offer them sanctuary and the chance to build a new life here”. |
| She said: “Refugee children, many of whom have fled war and persecution and have made dangerous journeys to Europe alone are now living on the streets, in overcrowded camps or locked in police detention. | She said: “Refugee children, many of whom have fled war and persecution and have made dangerous journeys to Europe alone are now living on the streets, in overcrowded camps or locked in police detention. |
| “The prime minister has today offered a lifeline to these vulnerable children and we will work with the government and the UN to ensure that these commitments are rapidly implemented so that thousands of lone, vulnerable children can reach safety in the UK in the coming months.” | “The prime minister has today offered a lifeline to these vulnerable children and we will work with the government and the UN to ensure that these commitments are rapidly implemented so that thousands of lone, vulnerable children can reach safety in the UK in the coming months.” |
| The first attempt to get Britain to take 3,000 child refugees from the EU was blocked in a Commons vote last Monday by a majority of 18. But a group of up to 30 Conservative MPs said they were ready to back the reworded amendment to the immigration bill next week. | The first attempt to get Britain to take 3,000 child refugees from the EU was blocked in a Commons vote last Monday by a majority of 18. But a group of up to 30 Conservative MPs said they were ready to back the reworded amendment to the immigration bill next week. |
| Following the announcement, the prime minister’s office released further details of its plan. In a statement, it said that children who were registered in Greece, Italy and France before 20 March would be eligible for resettlement. | |
| It did not put a fixed number on arrivals, but said it would work with local authorities to determine how many children would be resettled. It also reiterated previous commitments to speed up family reunification. | |
| The retrospective nature of the scheme would avoid creation of what it described as a “perverse incentive for families to entrust their children to people traffickers”, it said. | |
| Refugee organisations expressed scepticism about the impact of Cameron’s plan on asylum-seeking refugees. Dr Lisa Doyle, head of advocacy at the Refugee Council, said: “Today’s announcement could potentially offer limited chances for some lone children to find safe haven in Britain. | |
| “However, we shouldn’t be fooled into thinking the government has suddenly discovered its conscience while it’s simultaneously vilifying asylum seekers who are already in the UK and doing its best to trap all other refugees in poor countries.” | “However, we shouldn’t be fooled into thinking the government has suddenly discovered its conscience while it’s simultaneously vilifying asylum seekers who are already in the UK and doing its best to trap all other refugees in poor countries.” |
| George Gabriel from Citizens UK, a charity that has helped identify and reunite lone child refugees from Calais with their families in the UK, said it was not the first time Cameron had promised to speed up reunions. | George Gabriel from Citizens UK, a charity that has helped identify and reunite lone child refugees from Calais with their families in the UK, said it was not the first time Cameron had promised to speed up reunions. |
| He said: “We have been working with lawyers to oblige the government to live up to their legal responsibilities to unaccompanied minors in Europe with relatives in the UK since last year, and so far only 24 children have been admitted. | He said: “We have been working with lawyers to oblige the government to live up to their legal responsibilities to unaccompanied minors in Europe with relatives in the UK since last year, and so far only 24 children have been admitted. |
| “The process is taking too long – some children face waiting up to a year to be reunited with family members. We look forward to hearing the details of how the government will make today’s promise a reality.” | “The process is taking too long – some children face waiting up to a year to be reunited with family members. We look forward to hearing the details of how the government will make today’s promise a reality.” |