In January, I joined Jeremy Corbyn MP on a visit to Calais, where we met with some of the volunteers supporting refugees in the area. We got stuck in with the Refugee Community Kitchen, touring their warehouse, taking part in a roundtable with local support organisations, visiting local living sites, and seeing the Isutvyo Day Centre to meet service users.

We also heard from volunteers how refugees living in tents are routinely harassed, attacked and evicted by French police. This is funded by our Government to the tune of millions. One key take home for me is that it is an oversimplification to call France a safe country for many of the people stuck in limbo there. As our Government escalates its attack on people simply for seeking safety and security in our country, the trip was an important reminder of the need to centre compassion and humanity in our response to a humanitarian crisis.