Refugee crisis

Britain should not accept any more refugees was the title of l ast week’s Scarborough 40 Club debate with the York Speakers Club.

Toby Smith proposed the motion saying we should be tackling the root causes of the problem and protecting their human rights at home. Most of them probably want to stay in their own country. The UK does not have the resources and we already have one million using food banks and two million in poverty. Integration will be a problem and resentment will grow. Some of them may be criminals, perhaps under cover for ISIS. Why don’t the other Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia take more?

Lindsey Dutch opposed the motion asking how can we be so mean spirited when we see fathers with dead children in their arms and squalid refugee camps? They have been stripped of their identity and dignity but will work hard when they get here as all immigrants have a strong will to succeed. We need doctors, nurses, engineers and carers. I look forward to the multicultural mix and eating in a Syrian or Afghan restaurant. Look at Mo Farah, a refugee, now a British sporting hero. Let’s put bigotry in a box and give hatred the heave ho. They are not just refugees but mothers, daughters, sons, people.

The topic was then debated by the audience that included members of the Scarborough United Nations Association. Views and comments came from both sides of the argument before the two speakers summed up. A vote was taken with 10 votes for and 12 votes against. Tonight’s meeting is on sailing by Les Maw. Contact (01723) 354813 for details.