Other places need to do their bit in helping Afghan refugees - Bolton councillors

OTHER towns should take Afghanistan refugees as well as Bolton says a Tory councillor.

With numerous places in the UK taking Afghanistan refugees after the Taliban crisis, one Bolton councillor has spoken up about other villages in the South East not playing their part.

Cllr Andy Morgan first made a statement on Facebook after watching Question Time on Wednesday night, stating that Bolton had taken in many refugees already in the past, but other villages needed to step up.

He said:” We have a moral obligation to help these people because they helped us, but they should not make us take in so many when there are places that have not taken any refugees.

“This is not just about housing, but they come with a lot of needs as they come from a war-torn country and have seen things they shouldn’t have seen.”

The UK is expected to take in 20,000 Afghanistan refugees over five years, with some arguing this is too less while others say it is too many.

Cllr Morgan said: “We have our own residents that can’t get appointments at hospitals and GPs and they think it’s because the asylums seekers jump the queue, but they don’t.”

“This just breeds resentment, so I think everyone else should step up and do their bit.”

After the Taliban took control of Kabul on August 15 as US troops withdrew from the country, Afghans attempted to flee for fear the Talban would again impose their strict Sharia law principles.

Cllr Morgan said: “The government should resource local councils to ensure they have what they need, but other villages are not stepping up and it’s being left to us.

But Yasmin Qureshi, Bolton South East MP thinks the town would be doing the right thing by accepting the refugees.

She said:“We should not abdicate our responsibility to support those who need it most.

"Bolton specifically is a welcoming town built on immigration and is all the more richer for it. In my view, our arms should be wide open to support the refugees of Afghanistan in light of the deteriorating situation in the country.

"It is wrong to suggest that we are at our 'limits' when it comes to refugees. 20,000 refugees are equivalent to eight per constituency, or one per village. We can and should do more."

Bolton Labour group councillor Nick Peel shared Cllr Morgan’s view.

He said: “What we are asking for is to level the playing field because the government have taken advantage of the good will in Northern parts of the country and Bolton is more than happy to do its bit.

“But it’s down to the government to ensure there are wealthier parts of the country also doing the same.”

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