Sheffield MP backs call to do ‘as much as possible’ to support Afghan refugees

Louise Haigh, MP for Sheffield Heeley, said as the UK's first City of Sanctuary, it is only right for people in Sheffield to take the lead and support those in need of help.

She said: “We must ensure that if any refugees are resettled in Sheffield that they are housed in suitable and safe accommodation and it’s imperative that the Home Office work very closely with the council on this.

“Communities across Sheffield are already stepping up and supporting those in need and there are a number of community organisations that are collecting items such as smart phones and clothes but also those that are taking financial donations.

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“As people are driven from their homes in the most desperate circumstances, Sheffield must and will always stand with those seeking safety.”

The government recently announced that the Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme will welcome 20,000 people trying to escape persecution from the Taliban – with up to 5,000 in its first year.

They will be offered the chance to set up life in the UK permanently, with priority given to women and girls, and religious and other minorities most at risk of human rights abuses.

But with figures showing that Sheffield has housed more Syrian refugees than almost anywhere else in the UK, there has been a mixed reaction among residents as the government prepares to resettle incoming Afghan refugees.

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