Stars urge Cameron to let Calais children into UK

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AFP London
Last Updated : Feb 19 2016 | 2:02 AM IST
Jude Law, Gillian Anderson and footballer Gary Lineker were among 145 stars who called on David Cameron to allow migrant children stuck in Calais to enter the UK today.
In an open letter to the British prime minister, they called for children in the "Jungle" camp in France with relatives in Britain to be reunited with them while their asylum claims are assessed.
The celebrities' call came as French authorities prepared to demolish a section of the camp on Monday, a move that would make 3,000 people homeless in near-freezing temperatures.
Figures from charity Help Refugees show that there are 440 children living in this section of the camp, 291 of whom are unaccompanied.
"Such an enforced move would uproot again those who have already had to abandon their homes due to war and persecution," read the celebrities' letter.
It called on the government to ensure that "all minors who are currently residing in the camps in Calais and Dunkirk with family connections in the UK are able to reunite with their loved ones with immediate effect."
Actor Jude Law, who organised the letter, visited the camp and described conditions for unaccompanied children there as "horrific".
"These are innocent, vulnerable children caught up in red tape with the frightening prospect of the demolition of the Jungle hanging over them," he said.
"David Cameron and the British government must urgently work with the French authorities to alleviate this humanitarian crisis.
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First Published: Feb 19 2016 | 2:02 AM IST

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