Protest outside MP's house over child refugees policy

They held a large banner with the Home Secretary’s words from last October’s Tory Party Conference reading: ‘Our compassion does not stop at the border’ and also hand-delivered a letter to her home on Sunday (February 12).

Last week Mrs Rudd was forced to defend the Government against accusations of ‘shameful’ behaviour by Labour after the Home Office said it would limit the number of children taken by the country via the so-called Dubs amendment to 350.

But when challenged in the House of Commons she said the Dubs scheme ‘is not closed’.

A spokesperson from the group Hastings Kindertransport 2017, which organised the protest, said: “Last year Amber Rudd said that her compassion did not stop at the border.

“However, her actions in cutting short the scheme to bring vulnerable child refugees into the UK, show very clearly that her compassion is spent.

“Many local authorities, including Hastings, are willing and able to support some of these children, but the Home Office is nonetheless intent on refusing them entry.

“This stance is absolutely inhumane. Amber Rudd has a comfortable home, unlike these children, so we came here to demand that she honour the spirit of the Dubs amendment and agree to let in at least 3,000 of the refugee children who are living in dangerous and squalid conditions across the Channel.”

The scheme was put forward by Lord Dubs as an amendment to the Immigration Act, requiring the Government to accept a number of unaccompanied refugee children, and although a formal number was not set, he originally proposed a figure of 3,000.

However in last week’s statement, immigration minister Robert Goodwill announced that 350 children would be settled in the UK under the Dubs scheme, on top of resettling Syrian nationals and vulnerable children from the Middle East and the North African region.

Mrs Rudd added: “As required by the legislation, we consulted local authorities on their capacity to care for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children before arriving at the number.

“We are grateful for the way in which local authorities have stepped up to provide places for those arriving, and we will continue to work closely to address capacity needs.

“The Government have always been clear that we do not want to incentivise perilous journeys to Europe, particularly by the most vulnerable children.”

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