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The approach of the UK government has been to provide aid and safety to the refugees near to their country of origin. The main justification is that by allowing

by alva 10y ago

The approach of the UK government has been to provide aid and safety to the refugees near to their country of origin. The main justification is that by allowing the people to find temporary safety and assistance there, they will hopefully soon be able to return and help rebuild their country. Many of those fleeing to Western Europe will not return to contribute to the their country which will desperately need skills. This approach, which was widely and heavily chastised by the other dominant European countries, is now being adopted by its primary critics, Germany and Sweden. They have quietly changed their mind and decided it is a better approach in the long term, especially considering some of the problems they have been facing. The United Kingdom is also the second most generous donor of foreign aid behind the US.

icc97 10y ago
Indeed you're correct [0][1] with regards to foreign aid. Personally I disagree with that viewpoint though. One is sending money and trying to stay as little as involved as possible and the other is dealing personally on your doorstep with an immediate crisis. Which may be the best in the long-run I doubt is conclusive either way. [0]: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/sep/09/foreign-aid-which-countries-are-the-most-generous https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals... [1]: http://www.oecd.org/dac/stats/documentupload/ODA%202014%20Tables%20and%20Charts.pdf http://www.oecd.org/dac/stats/documentupload/ODA%202014%20Ta...
corford 10y ago
The UK's refugee approach is one of the few policies I think they've got right recently (notwithstanding the government's shameless treatment of child refugees already in Europe, which is/was indefensible). Another idea behind it is it limits the horrendous impact people smugglers have on refugees trying to cross over to Europe.

by alva 10y ago

icc97 10y ago

Indeed you're correct [0][1] with regards to foreign aid. Personally I disagree with that viewpoint though. One is sending money and trying to stay as little as involved as possible and the other is dealing personally on your doorstep with an immediate crisis. Which may be the best in the long-run I doubt is conclusive either way. [0]: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/sep/09/foreign-aid-which-countries-are-the-most-generous https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals... [1]: http://www.oecd.org/dac/stats/documentupload/ODA%202014%20Tables%20and%20Charts.pdf http://www.oecd.org/dac/stats/documentupload/ODA%202014%20Ta...

corford 10y ago

The UK's refugee approach is one of the few policies I think they've got right recently (notwithstanding the government's shameless treatment of child refugees already in Europe, which is/was indefensible). Another idea behind it is it limits the horrendous impact people smugglers have on refugees trying to cross over to Europe.