Lone children stuck in migrant camps f lown to UK after Mail’s exposé

They MUST be given the chance of life

From the Mail, April 24

LonE children trapped in Greek camps are among vulnerable migrants arriving in Britain on a special flight to be reunited with family within days.

The 52-strong group could land in the UK from athens as early as today after intense lobbying from Labour peer Lord Dubs and charity Safe Passage International.

It comes after the mail highlighted the plight of children in squalid conditions on the Greek island of Lesbos, where some of the group are coming from.

most family reunification efforts have been suspended amid border closures due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But efforts between the Home office and the Greek government were stepped up to give the flight special permission. Last night the Home office confirmed the group would soon be arriving after being tested for the disease and given the green light.

Lord Dubs, himself a former child refugee who arrived in the UK in 1939 after fleeing the nazis, told the mail: ‘at least this way they have a chance of having a decent life and thanks to this country they will have a future – and what better people to do that than members of their own family already here?

‘Some of them are minors, some of them are unaccompanied minors with family here, so it’s good news and we’re excited. I thank the mail for highlighting this issue.

‘obviously we’d like more to come, but this is a great start and we think all countries should respond and share the burden.’

The majority of the vulnerable group, who are not all minors, are said to mostly be Syrians and afghans and have been living for months in horrific conditions in camps on the Greek islands of Lesbos and Samos. Beth Gardiner-Smith, of charity Safe Passage International, said: ‘It’s great the mail have also called for unaccompanied minors to be taken in and vulnerable individuals who have family here.’