Yvette Cooper MP, Chair of Labour’s Refugee Taskforce, in response to Hungary shutting its border with Croatia and reports of unrest on the island of Lesbos, said:

“Europe’s failure to act is heaping further misery on thousands of vulnerable refugees. There is chaos at borders across Europe, people are dying and children are walking miles, sleeping in the open despite the falling temperatures. It is unbelievable we are seeing scenes like this in a continent which includes four out of the top ten richest countries in the world.

“The refugee crisis is the biggest test for Europe since the Second World War. We need much better coordinated action to improve conditions in camps in and around Syria and urgent support for authorities in Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia where authorities cannot cope with the number of people arriving and crossing through their countries.

“David Cameron should play a vital role in coordinating this instead of just looking inwards. This is a crisis of historic proportions. And unless we - and others across Europe - significantly step up our support, history will judge us for our inaction now.”