‘You are welcome here’

Unite will join trade unions and social justice movements from across Britain in a “Convoy to Calais” on Saturday (June 18), to provide aid and show solidarity with desperate refugees prevented from crossing the channel to safety.

Hundreds of vehicles will journey from Westminster to transport aid to the Calais refugee camp, where thousands of people who have fled wars and abject poverty wait for the chance to cross into Britain – many to be reconnected with friends and family.

In a joint statement published in the Guardian newspaper the convoy’s supporters, which include all the major unions, Stop the War, the Muslim Association of Britain, the People’s Assembly and Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell, called on the government to stop shirking it’s humanitarian responsibilities.

“The Tory government is ramping up racist rhetoric as it shifts the blame on to immigrants and refugees for the problems caused by its own austerity measures. In a show of callousness it voted against an amendment to the immigration bill which would have allowed 3,000 unaccompanied Syrian children entry to the UK,” the statement said.

“Despite this it was forced into a U-turn. However, this hard-won amendment offering possible sanctuary to child refugees is not enough. We need to know how many will be offered refuge and when to see if real good will be done.”

Wider assault on us all

Unite member and student nurse Danielle Tiplady, who is also campaigning against measures to scrap vital bursaries for trainee NHS nurses and health workers, is one of those who will be travelling with the convoy.

Tiplady said the government’s refusal to help was part of a wider assault on the British public.

“This government is attacking us all,” she said. “In November it scrapped the NHS bursary as part of a wider attack on the NHS and public services.

“As it tries to shift the blame onto immigrants and refugees for the problems caused by its own austerity measures, other students and I will be joining the Convoy to Calais, bringing solidarity and the message that refugees are welcome here.

“It is our duty to show compassion during what is a humanitarian crisis.”

Moral duty

Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner has been involved in organising the convoy. He pointed to the burgeoning xenophobia and racism harnessed by unscrupulous politicians in order to boost their popularity and shift their failings on to immigrants, and called on the government to give safe passage to those in need.

“It is the moral duty of the UK government to grant safe passage and provide sanctuary to those who have escaped war zones and suffered unspeakable privations,” he said.

“Instead, along with other European governments, it is attempting to turn our continent into a fortress and is complicit in a deal with Turkey that has resulted in vulnerable and desperate people being deported back to the very conflicts they fled from.

“At a time when Britain is making a decision that will affect the future of our nation, the EU debate is being poisoned by racism and a fear of the outside world, when it should be recognising the integral role immigrants play in our communities.”

The convoy vehicles will assemble this Saturday (June 18) at 8.30am at Whitehall in central London.

There are number of aid donation drop off points across the country, which are open until Friday (June 17).

More information on the type of donations accepted and the drop off locations can be found here.