We need to show the government that they represent a country populated by many compassionate humanitarians, who wish to help those from Syria and surrounding countries.  If we were trying to protect our children in a war-torn country, or risk our lives trying to escape it, we would hope that someone, somewhere would welcome us.  The discussion should not be about net immigration numbers and the effect on the economy but about our shared humanity. We need to help to those who need it now.

 

The purpose of this petition is to create a database of those who can offer real practical help. We must persuade government that there are those who wish government policy to change and are willing to offer space in their homes to facilitate that change. David Cameron has spoken about the ‘Big Society’; we argue that our society is bigger than just the UK. There are families who need our help urgently. We have a moral duty to respond. 

 

Please sign if you would be willing to take a family into your home – for a month, 6 months, a year – and demonstrate to the government that they do have the resources to look after those who need it. 

 

To read the briefing document on Syrian Refugees, published by the Commons library, see:

http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN06805

The summary is here:

“As the Syrian crisis gets ever deeper and worries grow about the many Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries, there is pressure for the UK to accept more Syrian refugees. Over 12 million Syrians need help in the country, of whom 7.6 million are internally displaced. 4 million Syrians have fled abroad, mostly to neighbouring countries in the region. UNHCR is calling on the international community to provide places for 130,000 Syrian refugees by the end of 2016. Just under 90,000 places have been offered so far. Up until 29 January 2014, the Government's policy was to be generous with humanitarian aid to Syria's neighbours rather than to accept large numbers of refugees for resettlement in the UK. However, the Government then established a “vulnerable persons relocation scheme”, in order to provide a route for selected Syrian refugees to come to the UK. The scheme prioritises victims of sexual violence and torture, and the elderly and disabled. The Government expects that several hundred refugees will arrive in the UK through the scheme over three years, although there is no fixed quota. The resettled refugees are given five years’ Humanitarian Protection status, with permission to work and access public funds. 187 people have been resettled in the UK under the scheme (as at March 2015). It is also possible for Syrians to claim asylum upon arrival or after-entry to the UK. Over 4,000 Syrians have been granted asylum in the UK since the start of the humanitarian crisis (as at June 2015). Aid agencies have urged the UK Government to do more but its policy remains to concentrate aid on refugees in the region itself, where the Government is spending £800 million.”

To sign the petition to “Accept more asylum seekers and increase support for refugee migrants in the UK.” Go to this link:

 https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/105991

 

Note you can sign both petitions; they are doing complementary things. Asylum can only be granted once someone is in the country; we would like to facilitate refugees coming here aided by the UK government.

Volunteering in this and other ways can also be done via the excellent CitizanUK/Avaaz petition at https://secure.avaaz.org/en/uk_refugees_volunteer_thank_you_3/  

The reason for crating this change.com petition specifically about offering homes is to show the government exactly what resource they have and that many of the people they represent wish to do something significant to aid those in trouble.