Letter to MP on UK Government's decision to let migrants drown

John Penrose MP
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA

Dear John Penrose

I want to express my shock and dismay at your Government's decision to withdraw from Europe's humanitarian efforts to rescue drowning migrants. Britain is a maritime nation, and there is a very long standing maritime convention that people in the water should be picked up and saved from drowning - even, in the case of war, if they are of a nationality with whom we are at war.

Your Government argues that saving people is rewarding unwanted behaviour - in this case, migrant behaviour. This is cod behavioural psychology. These people are fleeing war and oppression. In some cases, we have directly or indirectly helped the war to come about, and in other cases, we have supported the oppressive Governments.

People do not decide to leave their country of birth, their homes and families, on a whim. They leave because they are desperate, in fear of their lives if they stay where they are. They pay money to criminals to put them on un-seaworthy boats without calculating the risk, they just want to escape war and oppression.

Your Government's policy makes me, not for the first time, ashamed to be British.

Sincerely

Richard Lawson