Conservatives turn back on child refugees, again.

It’s disappointing but not surprising. Conservative MPs who were so keen to declare support for the Save the Children #StandForChildren Christmas campaign just a few weeks ago have again voted to refuse child refugees sanctuary in the UK. Last week MPs, including local the Conservative, who made much of their declaratory support for Save the Children and their campaigns voted against the Lords Dubs proposal which committed the Government to ensure that child refugees would continue to be protected after the UK leaves the EU.

Just a few weeks ago the local Conservative MP Mr Thomas made much of his wearing of a Christmas Jumper to, as he claimed, demonstrate his support for Save the Children and its campaigns. Many looked at this with raised eyebrows as he had consistently voted against the interests of child refugees seeking sanctuary in the UK, including lone children fleeing war-torn Syria.

After the Conservative MPs rejected this and used their commons majority to defeat Liberal Democrats, Labour, SNP and Green MPs, George Graham, Director of Conflict & Humanitarian Policy at Save the Children said:

“As a country, we have a duty to protect children escaping from war and persecution. Instead, this new bill puts some of the world’s most vulnerable and desperate children at even greater risk of harm. By taking away the right of lone children to live with their families in the UK, we leave them to risk their lives on the dangerous journey to Europe and expose them to exploitation at the hands of traffickers.”

“The UK should show leadership by expanding routes for refugee children to find safety and be reunited with their families in the UK, not restricting them.”

Child refugees ‘will be forced to come to UK on back of lorry after Brexit’