Independent Group call for Labour to live up to their words on the refugee crisis

Tower Hamlets Independents have today called for Labour to ‘put their money where their mouth is’ on the refugee crisis and accept our fair share of Syrian refugees into the borough.

The call was made as Prime Minister David Cameron announced plans to accept 20,000 refugees by 2020, Labour leadership candidate Yvette Cooper called for councils to take on refugees and her rival Jeremy Corbyn called on Parliament to address the ‘misery and desperation’ of Calais migrants.

The Independent Group will put a motion to next Full Council meeting calling upon councillors and the Mayor to accept plans for admitting a ‘necessary and proportionate’ number of refugees to the borough. The motion also calls for co-operation with other London boroughs over the entrance of refugees.

They will also be sponsoring a petition to show that residents support admitting refugees.

Independent Group leader, Cllr Oli Rahman, said

“It is right and fair that we make space available for at least some of those whose plight is far worse than our own.

Cllr Oli Rahman added “I have already written to Mayor Biggs officially, in my capacity as the Leader of Opposition, urging him to show some leadership and act decisively with a moral conviction to help those utterly helpless refugees in a situation of not their making. If Mayor Biggs act swiftly, I have assured him that Independent Group will fully support his decision. “