Responding to William Hague’s comments on the Andrew Marr Show that Theresa May may be changing her position on allowing the resettlement of Syrian refugees, Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

“It is really important that the British Government signs up to help the most vulnerable Syrian refugees and joins the UN resettlement programme as 18 other countries have done.

"It seems from the Foreign Secretary that the Government is inching forward - but they need to do much more and quickly. Labour, cross party backbenchers and major charities will keep pressing them to do so.

"Last week Theresa May and the Home Office strongly opposed resettlement of vulnerable refugees, calling it ‘token’ and the Prime Minister opposed the UN programme. William Hague adopted a very different tone today, and I hope the Home Secretary has been persuaded to change policy.

"However, Ministers mustn’t just produce a fudge - the best way to help is for Britain to do its bit as part of the UN programme. This is about sanctuary for those fleeing persecution, its not about immigration policy or border control - and it is important that the Home Office doesn’t confuse the two.

"Britain’s support for aid in the region is vital. But the UN have made clear that torture victims, abandoned children and other vulnerable refugees will struggle to survive or cope in the camps and need to be given sanctuary elsewhere.

"I urge the Government to back our motion and vote in Parliament on Wednesday to properly help these vulnerable refugees.”