SNP plans Commons refugee debate

Hundreds of thousands of people have fled the conflict in Syria

The SNP has confirmed it will use an opportunity on Wednesday to hold the UK government to account over its stance on the refugee crisis.

The party will devote its opposition day debate in the Commons to the issue, having accused the prime minister of failing to show leadership.

David Cameron has said the UK will take thousands more refugees from Syrian camps.

He has also pledged an additional £100m in aid.

Scottish first minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has urged Mr Cameron to "do more" to help those in need.

A leading member of the Scottish Catholic Church also called for action, arguing that the UK needed to be "generous in providing a safe haven" for refugees seeking to enter Europe.

The Archbishop of Glasgow, Philip Tartaglia, criticised the "mean-spirited and unhelpful" approach Britain had adopted so far.

In an article in the Herald newspaper, he said the Conservative leader "appeared to offer no hope to those who have already reached Europe".

Archbishop Philip Tartaglia urged the UK to be more generous

He wrote: "In my view the refugees crisis is a test, not of political shrewdness, but of common humanity. What is happening in the Mediterranean, Calais and other access points is an affront to human dignity."

The archbishop's comments came after Ms Sturgeon hosted an emergency summit in Edinburgh on Friday involving the Scottish Refugee Council, council leaders, religious groups and opposition politicians to discuss what could be done.

The Scottish government has agreed to set up a taskforce to co-ordinate the country's response to the crisis.

The first minister said Scotland should accept 1,000 people as a "starting point" for further help, and council leaders across the country have signalled a willingness to shelter refugees.

'Moral responsibility'

SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson said the prime minister "has failed to show any leadership on the refugee crisis".

"He must attend this parliamentary debate and show that he is serious about taking action and moving beyond what, to date, has been a slow and wholly inadequate response from his government," Mr Robertson said.

"The prime minister must outline the full details of whether the UK Government will now offer asylum and protection to its fair share of refugees, and how he intends to work with other EU leaders to ensure multi-lateral action and a long-term solution to the crisis."

Labour's Shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray had earlier written to Mr Robertson urging the SNP to use its Opposition Day debate to press the UK government on what he described as its "shameful" response to the crisis.

He said opposition parties at Westminster must speak out with "one voice" on the issue, and called for the UK to provide more support for refugees.

Earlier this week, Mr Cameron said accepting more people was not the simple answer to the situation.

But on Friday, he said the UK had a "moral responsibility" to help those displaced by the four-year conflict in Syria and more details would follow next week following discussions with organisations working in the region.