Child refugee block: Theresa May has shown a cold and heartless side of her character

MSP Rona Mackay has criticised the Tory government as “heartless” after it abandoned plans to resettle child refugees across the United Kingdom.

She backed a move by her colleagues at Westminster, who recently signed a letter calling on Theresa May to reverse the decision to stop receiving unaccompanied refugees children from Europe.

The Strathkelvin and Bearsden MSP warned the humanitarian crisis shows no signs of ending and called for a upscaling of the refugee programme.

Ms Mackay, an SNP MSP, said: “Theresa May has shown a cold and heartless side of her character in remaining silent on the broken promise to help lone children fleeing war, stuck often in squalor around Europe.

“Of the thousands the UK Government pledged to help, we have taken in a handful. Now, the plan is to abandon the plans to help these poor children all together? It is heartless and I am disgusted.

“I am glad my Westminster colleagues are holding fire to the feet of Tory government on this broken promise. These children and public deserve better.

“The refugee crisis shows no signs of going away, as war rages across the Middle East. Scotland would gladly take more refugees, for we have the will to make it happen. These children need us so, so much.”

ENDS

The Scottish Government has so far welcomed approximately 1,300 Syrian refugees under the Syrian Resettlement Programme, 35 unaccompanied children from France via the Dubs amendment, a further 110 unaccompanied children from clandestine routes, and is working with the Home Office and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) to welcome further unaccompanied children. Last week First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called on Theresa May to reverse the decision to close the Dubs scheme: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-38937288