Emotional Sturgeon slams PMs ‘walk on by’ approach to refugee crisis

By The Press Association3rd September 2015News ScotlandAsylum, Immigration, News Scotland, Refugees / Asylum

Nicola Sturgeon has written to David Cameron calling on the Prime Minister to increase the number of refugees taken in by the UK.

An emotional First Minister told the Scottish Parliament that Scotland will do ”everything possible” to help tackle the crisis as she spoke of how she had been reduced to tears by images of a young child washed up dead on a beach.

The First Minister said in Scotland ”we stand ready to help offer sanctuary to refugees who need our help” as she criticised Mr Cameron, accusing the Prime Minister of taking a ”walk on by on the other side approach” to the growing international situation.

The SNP leader wrote to the Prime Minister calling on him to change his approach and also announced a special summit would be held on Friday to look at what could be done in Scotland.

Her letter reads: “I am in no doubt that we are all horrified by the scale of the refugee crisis unfolding on Europe’s shore. The tragic death of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi, washed up on Turkey’s beach line, only serves to highlight further the plight of the thousands of people seeking safety and protection.

“The scale of such a humanitarian emergency is immense but it is not insurmountable. We recognise the need for long term, co-ordinated action to tackle the causes of this crisis but this cannot be a substitute for an immediate humanitarian response.

“We, with our neighbours and friends across the EU, have a moral obligation to offer a place of safety to these desperate people fleeing conflict and persecution. I welcomed the expansion of the Syrian Vulnerable Person scheme but I would stress that this in itself is not sufficient to address the crisis we are witnessing.

“I strongly urge you to reconsider the UK Government’s current response. The Scottish Government believes we must take part in the EU response. We can start by participating in the initial EU proposals on relocation and refugee resettlement. The UK must take a proportionate share of people fleeing conflict and persecution.

“I would once again reiterate that Scotland stands ready to support the UK Government in providing an appropriate response to this situation.”

The refugee summit organised by the First Minister will bring together politicians, charities, religious groups and other representatives of civic Scotland to discuss the situation and set out what Scotland can do to help.