Strong words from Tim Farron in today’s Independent about the proposed EU deal with Turkey which would see refugees returned from Greece to Turkey. Rather than create safe and legal routes for refugees, Tim argues that this deal would violate international conventions.
For instance, collective expulsions of people seeking international protection are condemned by the EU’s own Charter of Fundamental Rights. We know Turkey has failed to fully implement the Geneva Convention on refugees and has no functioning asylum policy. David Cameron would do well to re-read the international human rights agreements and principles Britain has committed to, before he signs on the dotted line in Brussels.
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
4 Comments
Canada, really? We still have this Trudeau love in?
A PM who refuses to admit single men, as Trudeau has, is no model of liberalism we should be following.
@Caron
So how do you feel about Canada’s refusal to accept single men? Is this the kind of example we should follow?
It wasn’t long ago that the Lib Dems were fully supportive of Turkey’s attempts to join the EU. Now they are saying Turkey is so uncivilised that people should be able to claim asylum from there. None of this bodes well for the referendum – the Leave people will make mincemeat of this kind of confusion.
Now that more details of the EU-Turkey migrant deal are known, we know that collective expulsions are not part of the deal. Had they been, then that would have been a clear breach of refugee conventions etc. It appears Greece, with EU help, will put in the infrastructure to consider any arrival individually. It also appears that the EU will take eg Syrian refugees direct from the camps in Turkey (safe and legal passage). Overall, looking to the bigger picture, we should support the EU getting a handle on this. Not only should it materially reduce the numbers risking and in some cases dying in dangerous sea crossings, it might also help reduce the chance of brexit, and just as importantly, reduce the chance of the EU itself fracturing (the migrant crisis uncontrolled is/would raise the chances of both events). UK-wise, I certainly support our party policy of calling on the the UK to take 10k Syrian refugees a year.
Hmmm, not sure this is helpful! Turkey isn’t Syria and is surely a safe haven. Happy to be corrected if Turkey isnt a safe haven. It can’t just be the EU and poor Greece.