Responding to comments made by the Prime Minister David Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions today where he said he would ‘look again’ at the issue of the humanitarian resettlement of Syrian refugees in the cases involving ‘extreme hardship’ the Director of Amnesty International UK Kate Allen said:

“Amnesty is pleased to hear the Prime Minister say that he is now prepared  to look at the possibility of offering protection to some of the most vulnerable Syrian refugees - the mothers, children, the elderly and the survivors of torture who are so desperate for help.

“This has never been a choice between either giving financial aid or resettling some of the most vulnerable refugees. We have a moral duty to do both because of the scale of the suffering.

“Up until now the UK has shamefully refused to participate at all in the UN resettlement scheme.

“It’s a huge relief that the Prime Minister is now prepared to revisit this issue and we must move swiftly to offer lifesaving protection.

“We are ready to meet the government to discuss the detail of how the most vulnerable refugees can be helped.”
Kate Allen, Amnesty UK Director