The calls were backed by Labour peer Lord Dubs [Image: Alecsandra Raluca Dragoi for the Guardian].

Amber Rudd, the new home secretary, is facing one of the first major decisions of her career.

Does she admit 387 refugee children into the UK, after her government spent more than £100,000 trying to keep them out?

Citizens UK says these children deserve to be brought into the UK. Faith leaders, council chiefs and charities are to host an event for refugee children without families on the anniversary of the death of Alan Kurdi, photographs of whose dead body sparked outrage against the plight of refugee children.

But the mood of the British public is against immigration of any kind. It’s one of the many reasons the UK voted to leave the EU.

If Ms Rudd lets them in, she’s betraying that decision; if she keeps them out, she’s heartless.

What will she do?

The home secretary has been urged to take immediate action over the 387 refugee children in Calais who have a right to come to Britain.

The list of eligible children who are stuck in the camps in Calais has been drawn up by Citizens UK and given to Amber Rudd, and the demand for immediate action endorsed by Alf Dubs – the Labour peer and long-time refugee campaigner.

It comes as a group of more than 100 faith leaders, council chiefs and celebrities, including Juliet Stevenson and Venessa Redgrave, prepare to host refugee children without families outside the Home Office on Friday at a memorial event marking the anniversary of the death of Alan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian boy whose body was washed up on a beach in Turkey.

The plea for urgent action on child refugees in Calais also comes as a freedom of information request has revealed that the government spent more than £100,000 earlier this year in legal fees to make it harder to reunite refugees in Calais with their families in Britain.

Source: Home secretary urged to act over refugee children stuck in Calais | UK news | The Guardian

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