Yvette Cooper, Shadow Home Secretary, said:

“The commitment from Europe to increase resources and action to tackle the humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean is welcome. European governments were wrong to drop search and rescue last year, and wrong to argue - as the British Government did - that this was justified to deter others from travelling too.

"So it is extremely important that Europe has promised to increase the mission at sea. Anything short of a properly resourced and extensive search and rescue mission will be a moral failure. Additional vessels and resources are welcome, as is action from Europol to tackle the criminal traffickers.

"But a long term and comprehensive strategy will be needed to deal with the ongoing crisis. And ahead of the Council in June the world will be watching to ensure the decisions taken today result in real humanitarian change.”

ENDS.