Hackney MP heads to Calais to show support for refugees

Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, has returned from the refugee camp in Calais after visiting to offer support and see what conditions are like for people staying there.

The shadow secretary of state for international development visited with Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and praised the efforts of the volunteers and agencies responding to the crisis.

She said: “The camp is a fragile and desperate place.

“There are thousands of people, including babies and very young children, living in freezing conditions with no education, limited food and healthcare.

“The government’s response to the crisis has been piecemeal, ineffectual and slow and it’s seen thousands stuck in a dehumanising limbo for far too long. This is a European crisis, and efforts to ease it need to reflect that – we need improved co-ordination between countries, and Britain needs to play its part.

“This crisis is camped right on our doorstep and we have a clear moral obligation to work towards an effective, compassionate and sustainable solution.”