Contact your MP about the unaccompanied children in Calais

General Secretary Lynn Green is encouraging all our churches to write to their MP about the unaccompanied children in the Calais jungle that have a legal right to be in this country.
 

The following template can be used to help write your response. While commending the text that is offered, letters have greater impact if they are uniquely written. While it is better to send a standard letter than do nothing, those who feel able to do so are encouraged to compose their own letter.

Dear

I’m writing with urgency in light of the French government’s announcement of the impending demolition of the camp at Calais. The UK government needs to take urgent action to reunite children in Calais eligible for family reunification under Dublin 3 and to implement the Dubs Amendment (now part of the Immigration Bill passed in May). There are over 1000 unaccompanied minors in the Calais camp, 400 of whom have a legal right to be relocated in Britain either through Dublin 3 or Immigration Law. Many are part way through the process and are in danger of being lost through the eviction of the camp.

Despite the UK government’s announcement last May that they would take in additional minors, Home Office figures show that the only children who have arrived so far were actually processed through the diligent work of Safe Passage and Citizens UK. None have yet been admitted outside this system. There is no imaginable reason for this total lack of government action which requires a non-government organisation to enable the UK to implement its own laws.

During the last evictions over 100 children went missing and reports from the ground suggest that vulnerable, fearful children have already started to leave the camp. Throughout Europe over 10,000 have gone missing and Save the Children report that vast numbers are falling into the hands of child traffickers and being forced into prostitution and slavery. UK Anti-Slavery Commissioner Kevin Hyland, who has visited the Calais camp, recognises these risks and has recommended that all eligible children are processed as quickly as possible.

Britain has a proud tradition of helping children who are fleeing war and persecution. We allowed 10,000 children into the country without visas through the Kindertransport during WWll. As Europe faces the worst humanitarian crisis in recent history, we must not lose our sense of humanity as a country and must respond quicker and more decisively for these children.

I urge you to support this call for the UK to take action on this matter and to urgently expedite the transfer of all eligible children to the UK before the camp is demolished by the end of October 2016.

I would be grateful to be updated on any action you do take. I look forward to hearing from you.
 
Yours faithfully


Send the letter to your MP via https://www.writetothem.com