Saturday 05 September 2015 4:40 pm

EU migrant crisis: Over 40 councils ready to offer sanctuary to Syrian refugees, says Yvette Cooper

Over 40 local councils around the UK have said they are ready to offer sanctuary to Syrian refugees who have fled in fear of their lives, Labour leadership candidate Yvette Cooper has said.

Cooper, who earlier this week called on the UK to take 10,000 refugees, said councils replied within 24 hours for each to accept 10 families, and that it was up to the government to work with local authorities to ensure as many people as possible are helped.

The Evening Standard reports the shadow home secretary to have added:

Already councils from across the country have said they want to work with the Government to help Britain offer sanctuary to more refugees

There is a real determination and rising sense of moral purpose across Britain to help desperate families. But now the prime minister needs to match it.

I'm once again urging the Government to work with councils to offer as many as 10,000 places for refugees and be part of a national mission to deal with this terrible humanitarian crisis.

This comes after David Cameron yesterday pledged to accept “thousands” more refugees into the UK, and committed an extra £100m in aid to help refugees, taking the aid budget for Syria to £1bn.

The Prime Minister said a comprehensive strategy was needed, and wanted to dissuade any refugees from taking the perilous journey in boats across the Mediterranean by taking refugees from camps in Syria.

Meanwhile, David Miliband, who leads the International Rescue Committee, which helps refugees, said the UK should take 25,000 refugees.

“No-one is going to persuade me that 25,000 refugees – which amounts to 40 refugees per parliamentary constituency – is too many,” he said to Channel 4 News.