50,000 people sign petition urging Theresa May to keep taking lone child refugees

Pic:Lord Dubs arrives at 10 Downing Street with the petition
Staff reporter(wp/es):

A petition signed by 50,000 people calling for Theresa May to continue taking lone child refugees has been handed in to Number 10.

On Saturday former refugee and Labour peer Lord Dubs arrived at Downing Street with the petition urging against the closure of a scheme to bring unaccompanied minors into the UK.

The Government has come under increasing pressure over its decision to scrap the programme, which was expected to facilitate some 3,000 vulnerable youngsters.

Lord Dubs originally strong-armed the commitment from Whitehall by adding an amendment to the Immigration Act in 2016, known as the Dubs amendment.

But ministers have provoked fury by pumping brakes on the scheme after 150 children joined the 200 who have already arrived on British soil.

The move follows a stinging intervention from the Archbishop of Canterbury, who warned that halting the initiative would see more children being trafficked, exploited and killed.

The Most Rev Justin Welby added his voice to the heated political row by saying he was "saddened and shocked" at the move.

He said it would be "deeply unjust" to leave the burden of caring for such children on Italy and Greece, where thousands of refugees and migrants arrive from the conflict-ridden Middle East and north Africa.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said British and French authorities were concerned the scheme was acting as a "pull factor" for children to be drawn to the UK and that it provided opportunities for people-traffickers.

More than 900 unaccompanied children were transferred to the UK from Europe last year.

A Home Office spokesman said the Government was "clear that behind these numbers are children" but that it needed to strike a balance between accepting minors and making sure local councils can support them.

He said: "We are not giving up on vulnerable children who are fleeing conflict and danger.

"Thanks to the goodwill of the British public and local authorities in the last year alone, we have provided refuge or other forms of leave to more than 8,000 children.

"Our commitment to resettle 350 unaccompanied children from Europe is just one way we are helping.

"We have a proud history of offering protection to those who need it and children will continue to arrive in the UK from around the world through our other resettlement schemes and asylum system."