Philip Gilligan starts petition calling for Rochdale to welcome refugees

Philip Gilligan starts petition calling for Rochdale to welcome refugees

Littleborough resident Philip Gilligan has started a petition calling on Rochdale council to pledge to welcome refugee families fleeing violence in Syria.

It comes after shocking photos of Aylan, the toddler who drowned fleeing Syria, triggered massive public outcry at the government’s response to the refugee crisis.

Dr Gilligan is calling on locals across Rochdale, Middleton and Heywood to sign the petition and join the call for local politicians to commit to welcoming refugee families escaping violence in Syria.

Their petition is one of hundreds set up across the country by members of campaign group 38 Degrees, demanding politicians where they live step up and do more to help victims of this crisis.

Dr Gilligan, who started the petition said: “I started this petition because the tragic photos of Aylan were the final straw. I had to do something to show that refugees are welcome here. I know that Rochdale isn’t the kind of place to turn its back as people drown in their desperation to flee places like Syria. ”

Megan Bentall, a campaigner at 38 Degrees said: “This public outcry should send a clear message to MPs and councillors that more needs to be done to help the desperate men, women and children escaping violence in Syria. This petition should be a wake-up call to local politicians.

“Britain has a long tradition of helping people fleeing war: it’s part of what makes us a civilised country. And 38 Degrees members have a strong record of standing up for a Britain we can all be proud to live in.

“People in Rochdale will be adding their voices to calls from thousands of people across the country to say that enough is enough. Too many people have drowned just trying to reach safety. Politicians need to step up before thousands more people die.”

The local petition can be found at: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/refugees-welcome-in-rochdale-7