PLEASE can you call on local politicians to pressure the government into taking more Syrian refugees into the UK?

Many cities of sanctuary have pledged to give support.

At a conference on this topic, it was suggested we offer more help and support to Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, where enormous numbers of refugees are taken in and live in massive camps – over a million in Lebanon – in terrible conditions, where there are many children who are frightened, alone and vulnerable to disease and illness.

Imagine how we would feel if these were our children?

Doctors of the World, Unicef, Red Cross and many more charities are working very hard in areas where families are suffering unimaginable hardship, but they need more solid support from the government.

Even if a collective policy in Europe is not possible, there must be some things which countries do agree on. Can’t we just act on these and sort the politics out when people stop dying in their desperate attempts to escape repression and violence?

Our politicians face tough decisions and have to represent all sections of society and take account of varied public opinion as well as all the consequences of offering help – the job is not easy, but in the end surely it comes down to simple human kindness.

ANNE LEADBETTER
Parsons Place
East Oxford