Charities: PM’s response to refugees is not good enough

daVId Cameron’s response to the migrant crisis was last night condemned as ‘clearly inadequate’ by charities.

Some 27 not-for-profit groups – including Oxfam and amnesty International – said it was ‘too slow and too narrow’, and urged the Prime Minister to do more.

In an open letter co-ordinated by the British refugee Council, they called for the uK to take a ‘proportionate’ share of refugees fleeing war-torn countries.

The group added that the Prime Minister’s commitment to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees over five years was ‘a welcome first step’. But they argued he had failed to meet Britain’s responsibilities for dealing with the ‘crisis on europe’s doorstep’.

The charities said: ‘last year saw 3,770 people drown and hundreds of thousands more endure a desperate march across the Continent.

‘last year’s announcement that the uK will resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees was a welcome first step, but given the numbers searching for safety, this response is clearly inadequate – it is too slow and too narrow.’ The groups also demanded that Britain take refugees from among those already within the eu, and set up safe routes to the uK. a government spokesman said: ‘The terrible images we have seen in the last year have moved us all. That is why we are resettling people directly from the countries neighbouring Syria, where so many have fled.

‘The uK is also providing aid to those most in need, both in the Syrian region, where we have pledged over £1.1billion in aid, and in europe. It is essential that we focus our support where we can make the biggest impact.’