Embargoed until 6pm, 18 February 2016
Public figures call on David Cameron to save children trapped in ‘Calais Jungle’ An unprecedented coalition of 145 well-known figures from cinema, television, theatre, art, business, sport and literature today publish an open letter to David Cameron calling for urgent action to save the #childrenofcalais, and invite the public to sign http://www.refugees-welcome.org.uk/childrenofcalais/ A full list of signatories and the text of the letter is below. Jude Law, Shappi Khorsandi, Idris Elba, Helena Bonham Carter, Richard Branson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Curtis, Stephen Fry, Helena Kennedy, Gary Lineker, Phillip Pullman and Tom Stoppard are among the list of names which represent the best of British talent and the arts coming together to urge the Prime Minister to step in and allow unaccompanied children living in the Jungle to be reunited with their families in the UK: They say in the letter: “This is a humanitarian crisis that needs to be acknowledged as such and it is imperative that we do everything we can to help these innocent and highly vulnerable refugees, especially the minors, as swiftly as is humanly possible.” They are seeking to draw attention to the plight of the 291 unaccompanied children in the Jungle who have a legal right to join family in the UK, and are stuck in a dangerous bureaucratic limbo with the imminent demolition of the Jungle on the horizon. On Monday 22 February, the French authorities are due to demolish the southern part of the ‘Calais Jungle’ which would destroy the temporary homes of over 3,000 people. This section of the camp is predominantly occupied by unaccompanied children and families. A census conducted on Monday by Help Refugees found 440 children living in this section of the camp, 291 of which are unaccompanied. Public figures are urging David Cameron to intervene to ensure that refugee children are protected. Citizens UK has identified hundreds of unaccompanied minors in Calais who have valid legal claims to have their asylum applications processed in the UK. The first of these cases was heard in the UK Courts last month; the court ruled that the children should legally be reunited with family in the UK while their asylum cases were processed. Citizens UK have already largely identified, screened and begun to process the minors in question. The letter is open for the public to sign at: http://www.refugees-welcome.org.uk/childrenofcalais/ Jude Law said: “Last week I visited the camp, and met some of these unaccompanied children who have no choice but to endure the horrific conditions of the Jungle. These are innocent, vulnerable children caught up in red tape with the frightening prospect of the demolition of the Jungle hanging over them. David Cameron and the British Government must urgently work with the French authorities to alleviate this humanitarian crisis.” Simon Cuff at Citizens UK said: “The Jungle should not exist. Clearing it is important work – but as the bulldozers move in the children living there must not be forgotten. Those with rights to be with their families in the Britain should be reunited with them, those without the right to the UK should receive specialist support and care from the French. Not chased off by police in riot gear.” “We’re hugely grateful to all the public figures who’ve stood up and stepped out to help protect these refugee children. There is no time to lose to reunite them with their loved ones before the demolitions begin in earnest. Help Refugees UK are doing an amazing humanitarian job on the ground, we’re working to help people access their legal rights - but this should not be falling to charitable organisations in the first place. Governments need to get in there, bring order to the chaos and create safe legal routes to protect people.”