Scots stars urge Prime Minister to save Calais Jungle camp children

Scots comedian Frankie Boyle and writers Irvine Welsh and Val McDermid are among 14 stars calling on David Cameron to help save children based at the Jungle Camp in Calais.

Scottish celebrities have urged David Cameron to allow unaccompanied child refugees living in temporary housing in Calais to be reunited with their UK family. Image: Lisa Ferguson

They have signed an open letter to the Prime Minister asking the government to step in and allow unaccompanied children living in the Jungle to be reunited with their families in the UK.

The plea comes as the French authorities are due to demolish the southern part of the Jungle on Monday, something which would destroy the temporary homes of over 3,000 people.

This section of the camp is predominantly occupied by unaccompanied children and families.

Figures from Help Refugees show that there are 440 children living in this section of the camp, 291 of whom are unaccompanied. The letter states:

“This is a humanitarian crisis that needs to be acknowledged as such and it is imperative that we do everything we can to help these innocent and highly vulnerable refugees, especially the minors, as swiftly as is humanly possible.”

Charity Citizens UK has identified hundreds of unaccompanied minors in Calais who have valid legal claims to have their asylum applications processed in the UK.

The first of these cases was heard in the UK courts last month with the court ruling the children should legally be reunited with family in the UK while their asylum cases were processed.