Britain announces plans to take in migrant children

The UK will take in more unaccompanied child refugees from Syria and other war zones. A new £10 million fund is also being established to support young refugees in Europe.

“The crisis in Syria and events in the Middle East, North Africa and beyond has separated a large number of refugee children from their families”, he said.

Sources indicate that the number will not significantly increase the current commitment to resettle 20,000 refugees from the region over the next five years.

Germany has stepped up pressure on Greece, the main entry point into the European Union for migrants from Turkey, to ward off refugees amid suspicion that the government in Athens is allowing people to through to richer countries to the north. At the same time, Greek Migration Minister Ioannis Mouzalas said Wednesday the bloc’s members haven’t’ fulfilled their commitment to take in thousands of people arriving on Greek shores. “The Government’s promise to fast-track family reunification across Europe will help these vulnerable child refugees build a better life alongside their loved ones already here”. Edwards said part of the humanitarian appeal was to help with the relocation and resettlement of refugees.

Ministers are also offering more support for refugee children who have been trafficked to the UK.

A Home Office spokeswoman said she could not confirm how many children would be affected by the scheme. More than 1,000, half of them children, have so far arrived.

“The vast majority are better off staying in the region so they can be reunited with surviving family members”.

However, today it has been suggested that the children identified by the United Nations in camps near Syria as “exceptional cases” would be in addition to that 20,000.

Instead the Government is set to maintain its policy of taking vulnerable refugees directly from the conflict region in order to avoid creating a “magnet” for more to make the perilous journey to Europe.

Yvette Cooper, chair of Labour’s refugee taskforce and former rival to Jeremy Corbyn for the party leadership, said the country “cannot turn our backs on children who are already in Europe and desperate families who have already come to Europe because they are fleeing persecution”.

Labour demanded an apology and urged Mr Cameron to use “much more statesman-like” language on such a “complex and sensitive issue”, particularly on Holocaust memorial day.