British Prime Minister, David Cameron, is expected to announce details of new measures that could see several thousand refugees living in camps along the Syrian border resettled in Britain.
Britain accepting tens of thousands of refugees is extremely significant because previously, Cameron had said that his government was opposed to letting more refugees come to Britain.
The British PM’s change of attitude to the migration crisis comes in the face of growing public pressure as more than 300,000 people signed an online petition urging the government to act.
The Shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, has also suggested that UK could take 10,000 more refugees every month, “Other countries are doing their best. We have got to do more as well.”
Cameron also faces renewed pressure from Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to deliver an “immediate humanitarian response” to the migration crisis unfolding in Europe, she stressed on their moral obligation to offer sanctuary to those fleeing conflict and persecution.
Members of the European Union had also criticised Britain for not doing ‘enough’ for resettling migrants as it had refused to join an EU scheme to resettle migrants like Germany and Sweden, which have opened their doors to large numbers of refugees.
Urgent work is now said to be taking shape in Whitehall on the nature of Cameron’s plan resulting in Britain accepting “several thousand” refugees living in UN camps on the Syrian border.
A spokesperson of 10, Downing Street told Sky News: “The PM said today in his interview that we’d taken thousands already and will take thousands more.”
“The PM said yesterday and repeated today that we’re reviewing the position, which on background you can take as a steer that we’re looking at what more can be done.”
Chilling visuals of a 3 year old child lying face down in the sand after the immigrant family’s boat capsized in an attempt to escape conflict; captured attention and is said to have stirred the hearts of the World community.
