Sanctuary for refugees

sir – We share Chris Philp’s pride (Comment, July 28) in Britain’s role in enshrining rights in the UN Refugee Convention, which marks its 70th anniversary this week.

However, the immigration minister fails to acknowledge a simple and troubling truth: the Government’s new proposals, as laid out in its Nationality and Borders Bill, would seek to ride roughshod over the convention and to destroy its basic rationale, which emphasises human need above method of arrival.

British participation in the Un-led resettlement scheme, which has been valuable but is only available to few, has been dramatically reduced. Despite repeated urging, the Government has failed to provide commitments to increased numbers in the future. Other countries have done far more overall: France, Spain and Germany each had three times more asylum claims than Britain last year.

Nobody wants to see vulnerable people risking their lives at sea, but until the Government has a clear plan to offer alternative safe routes to people who cannot access the UN scheme, these dangerous journeys will continue.

More than 300 organisations have joined the Together With Refugees coalition calling for a more effective and humane approach. Polling shows that a majority of the British public supports that aim.

Conservative prime ministers since Churchill have given those seeking our protection a fair hearing on British soil, regardless of how they have arrived. This Government must do the same and uphold the convention in its 70th year.

Mike Adamson

Chief Executive, British Red Cross

Tim Naor Hilton

Chief Executive, Refugee Action

Sonya Sceats

Chief Executive, Freedom from Torture

Enver Solomon

Chief Executive, Refugee Council

Andrea Vukovic

Director, Asylum Matters

Sabir Zazai

Chief Executive, Scottish Refugee Council