We must work together with our European colleagues to tackle the root causes of this crisis
I was encouraged to see Jeremy Corbyn spend last weekend visiting refugee camps in Calais and elsewhere, so he could witness first-hand the awful conditions that refugees endure every day.
When I visited Calais in August of last year, I was appalled by what Jeremy rightly called the ‘fetid’ state of the camp, whose population has now reached 3,000 refugees including many children. Six months of rain, snow and an expanding population have made what was already a desperate humanitarian situation much worse.
So far the UK has largely stood apart from other European countries faced with exactly the same refugee crisis to deal with – the largest movement of refugees since the Second World War. It took months for the UK government to liaise properly with French authorities and to start making the security changes necessary to improve safety in Calais, and when they did respond it was too little, and too late.
The Channel tunnels for freight and passengers are still regularly disrupted and refugees are still dying while trying to get through this incredibly unsafe route.
Rather than supporting attempts to have a coordinated EU response, David Cameron has, time and time again, positioned himself at the sidelines. Yes, the UK has an opt-out from EU asylum policy, but countries like Ireland which also have such an opt-out have supported, rather than jeered at, EU initiatives for emergency location of refugees from the worst-hit European countries.
Even when it comes to the no-brainer of better coordinating search and rescue, Cameron only abandoned his previous objections when he was forced to by public horror at the death toll in the Mediterranean.
In the next few months, we will see temperatures rise and seas calm, which means we could witness even more desperate families trying to make the perilous journey to Europe. We risk a repeat of Operation Stack on our roads and yet more casualties trying to perilously cross into our country under the Channel, and into other EU member states over the Med and through Turkey.
We must work together with our European colleagues to tackle the root causes of this crisis and bring peace and stability to Libya, Syria and Eritrea. Federica Mogherini, the EU’s foreign policy lead, has been quietly but effectively making some progress here; sadly, the UK government has largely been conspicuous by its absence.
We also need to engage with attempts to relocate those refugees who are already here in the EU; and to improve security and safety in Calais, now effectively the UK’s border with France.
The Dover-Calais route is essential not just for the UK but for all of Europe, yet it has been left down to Labour politicians to try and work with our European partners to improve the situation, in the absence of UK government action.
We need to acknowledge that the best – and only – way of responding to the refugee crisis is to work with other countries to solve it, and that the UK can do this by participating in, and trying to shape, EU initiatives. Cameron can act like a latter-day King Canute if he likes, trying to ignore developments in the rest of the world. Thankfully, on this issue Jeremy Corbyn’s feet are much more firmly on the ground.
Anneliese Dodds is Labour MEP for the South East of England
62 Responses to “Comment: Corbyn gets it right on refugees”
Sid
NO MORE IMMIGRATION !!!!!
Send them back from where they came from.
Bruce Meredeen
Commenting in CAPITALS and excessive use of punctuation is often the sign of ignorance and lack of a valid argument. This is a complex issue and ‘NO MORE IMMIGRATION’ is simplistic, impractical, counter-productive and inhumane. ‘Them’ are on sovereign French soil. Perhaps we should invade and impose British rule on one of our European partners? Are you seriously suggesting that unaccompanied children and those with a well-founded fear of persecution, say, should forcibly be repatriated? Do you believe that those who are skilled and able to fill UK vacancies should never be allowed to enter the UK, even on a temporary basis? Are you prepared to see hundreds of thousands of Brits working, living or retired abroad thrown out of the countries where they are settled or have an economic stake. Frankly, Sid, if you have nothing constructive or helpful to contribute to the debate please keep your prejudice to yourself.
Bradley B.
Every migrant in Calais is there by choice.
True or not true?
Bradley B.
Unaccompanied minors in Calais camps should be detained and cared for by French authorities.
Bruce Meredeen
Agreed. Not to be treated as criminals, though, without due process of law. Problem with Corbyn’s comment is that it’s all heart, no head. I paraphrase him: “Surely in the 21st century we can’t have people living in such squalor”. What practical immediate measures does he propose? How can he so disregard prevailing sentiment and opinion toward asylum seekers and economic migrants? No serious politician here supports uncontrolled, unlawful migration nor should criminality be overlooked. France shouldn’t have to bear the brunt. However ‘genuine’, ‘caring’ and ‘kind’ Corbyn is, he appears out of touch and naive when experience, sound judgement and credibility are required. Hard choices are needed and few outside his part of the Labour Party seem to think he’s got what it takes. I was surprised to find the able Annaliese associating herself so uncritically with his remarks.