In view of the unprecedented refugee situation arising from wars in the Middle East and especially in Syria why is our government not calling for a crisis meeting of heads of governments to agree decent reception camps and a fair relocation of refugees across Europe, including in Britain?

Appeals by the UN and reports now of inhumane treatment of immigrants by Bulgarian and other East European police underline the gravity of the situation.

Pictures on TV from Greece, Macedonia and the borders of the EU showing the way refugees are being received should make us all feel ashamed.

Many of these people are fleeing for their lives. The sight of tiny children sleeping on the muddy ground on a cold night is impossible to bear.

Germany is now meeting governments from the Balkans to initiate some action. Our government is doing absolutely nothing except talk of 'improving fences' because of the 'danger' at Calais - and condemning 'people smugglers' for causing the problem!

The numbers involved are not huge - hundreds of thousands a year rather than millions. If shared out by all the European countries the burden would not be great.

Germany has already taken in a total of 800,000 and sees these incomers as potentially valuable citizens with very usable skills.

Sweden is another country that welcomes these suffering human beings.

Is Britain turning into a mean little country with an intense fear of foreigners?

Surely not! Remember the way we once warmly welcomed fugitives from Nazi Germany, exiles from Uganda, the Asian Boat people and all those fleeing oppression from communist countries during the cold War.

Faced by the worst refugee crisis since the Second World War we must show our humanity once again.

Peter D. Leeming

Kendal