Leading UK refugee charities have today called on the Government to work with European Union member states to establish a resettlement programme in the UK and Europe for Syrian refugees. The Refugee Council, Refugee Action, the Scottish Refugee Council and the Welsh Refugee Council are calling for a co-ordinated effort across Europe to relieve some of the pressure on the burgeoning refugee camps on the Syrian border.

 As the civil war in Syria continues, latest reports from the UNHCR and others indicate that the numbers of refugees fleeing the country in fear of their lives has reached a level that is likely to overwhelm efforts to cope in neighbouring countries. Although the UK Government can be commended for the provision of nearly £350 million in humanitarian aid to assist the millions displaced by the deepening crisis, the establishment of a programme to resettle people beyond the region will ease the strain being felt by Syria’s neighbouring states.

You can read our letter to the Guardian here