Responding to Home Secretary Sajid Javid’s comments about the rising number of refugees and migrants attempting to cross the Channel, Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty UK’s Refugee and Migrant Rights Programme Director, said:

“It's extremely worrying that women, men and children have been compelled to undertake such very dangerous sea crossings in an attempt to find a place of safety and security.

“The Home Secretary needs to understand that we’re in this situation because of the persistent refusal of our Government and others to share responsibility in providing asylum and safe passage to people fleeing desperate situations. This has left people with no other option than to take extreme risks to find safety - often at the hands of ruthless or careless smuggling gangs.”