Plans to spend an extra £100million on humanitarian aid have been welcomed by Tom Brake, Carshalton and Wallington MP, who is also challenging how the current EU refugee quota system is determined.
The Liberal Democrat MP praised Cameron’s announcement of further funds, and highlighted their importance to refugee camps, many of which have seen refugees being forced to leave due to insufficient supplies.
While advocating Britain taking in more refugees, Mr Brake also questioned the suitability of the current EU quota system.
Mr Brake said: “The system allocates the number of refugees based on GDP, size of population etc, but I think the system needs to be amended.
“The UK contributes more than any other EU country, and with this £100million contribution we have now contributed £1billion, a figure only matched by the USA.
“The system can be revised to reflect our contributions better.”
Mr Brake also argued that with a significant number of refugees in other European Union countries the UK should be taking more.
He said: “It is a myth that we are full, we are just more densely populated than countries such as Germany.
“Germany are taking more, which they can as they have an older population that is also shrinking, but we should be taking more ourselves”
While Brake recognises the polarising nature of taking further refugees, he was keen to stress it was an important issue for both the country and his party.
He said: “The Liberal Democrats have always stood for issues like civil liberties, and this is an issue and these are the issues that the Liberal Democrats will continue to fight for.”
