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UK to take in vulnerable refugee children in 'exceptional cases'
Britain will take in refugee children who have become separated from their families in Syria and other conflicts, the Government has announced.
No figure has been put on how many children will be accepted, but the UK will work with the UN to identify "exceptional cases" where vulnerable children would benefit from protection.
The scheme will only apply to children still in conflict zones and not those who have already reached Europe, as officials do not want to encourage more people to attempt the dangerous sea crossing.
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PM: UK offer to child refugees is "compassionate and generous"
Video report by ITV News Political Correspondent Libby Wiener
Britain is set to assist vulnerable child refugees by allowing more of them into the UK, but the Prime Minister has not given an exact figure of how many will be helped.
David Cameron also said the majority will come from camps near Syria but charities say child refugees in Europe are in just as much need.
No 10 insists refugee offer is 'no empty gesture'
As Number 10 refuses to say how many child refugees Britain will accept, the Prime Minister's spokesman insists his offer is genuine.
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Lib Dem's Farron says child refugee offer is not enough
Tim Farron, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, has criticised David Cameron for refusing to take in vulnerable child refugees stuck in European refugee camps.
He said the Prime Minister’s pledge to help some children in “exceptional” circumstances was not enough.
The response to the humanitarian crisis was “not very human”, he told Good Morning Britain.
Mr Farron condemned the government for refusing to take in children who are already in Europe, saying suggestions that it could encourage more youths to take the risky journey are “pretty bogus”.
He said that Germany has taken one extreme position by pledging to welcome large number of refugees but said Britain has taken the opposite extreme.
“It is not only inhuman, it is also very foolish. When you’ve got a massive humanitarian crisis on your doorstep, to turn your back on it and pretend it isn’t happening is very bad politics as well as not being very human.”
- ITV Report
What is Britain doing to help resettle refugees?
- ITV Report
UK to take in refugee children in 'exceptional cases'
Latest ITV News reports
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No 10 insists refugee offer is 'no empty gesture'
As Number 10 refuses to say how many child refugees Britain will accept, the Prime Minister's spokesman insists his offer is genuine.
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What is Britain doing to help resettle refugees?
As the Government reveals Britain will take in children in 'exceptional cases', we look at what else is being done to help refugees.