Yesterday the Home Office won its appeal against a landmark ruling that allowed four Syrian refugees living in the main camp in Calais to come to the UK. While the refugees will be allowed to stay, the appeal means that it will be difficult for more refugees to come to Britain this way in the future.
Following the decision Yvette Cooper labelled Theresa May ‘a disgrace’. The Labour politician says she is appalled that May pursued this appeal and called on her to do more to help Syrian refugees. However, Mr S couldn’t help but think back to Cooper’s own promises when it comes to refugees. Last year, she was one of a number of politicians and celebrities who volunteered to take refugees into their home:
‘If that’s what it took and that’s what was needed, then of course, I think lots of people would be.’
Alas, over a year on and Cooper is yet to take the plunge. In March, LBC’s Nick Ferrari took Cooper to task over her apparent U-turn:
NF: Have you taken your refugee in yet?
YC: Well, I think we should be offering sanctuary
NF: But have you taken yours yet?
YC: Yeah but I don’t think this is about… I’ve said from the start if people need homes we should be offering…
NF: Have you taken yours yet?
YC: If you listen to what the government’s said, they’ve said no they don’t want people to take them into their homes. What they want is to provide housing for the small number of Syrian refugees who have come over. Where I do think we should help and…
NF: Have you taken yours yet Yvette?
YC: No that’s what I said, because the government has said
By the end of the interview, Cooper claimed she had not had ‘proper support and training from local councils to be a proper fosterer’. Perhaps now Cooper is so appalled about the current situation she will find the time to remedy this and lead by example by putting her words into action.
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