Owen Smith’s Lily Allen moment as he apologises to refugees on behalf of the UK

The Labour Party MP said the Government’s move to put an end to lone child refugees being housed in the UK was "shameful".

Discussing the end of the Dubs amendment, Home Secretary Amber Rudd said on Thursday French authorities had urged her not to make the scheme open-ended as it encourages people to make dangerous journeys to Europe and increases the rate of human trafficking.

Lord Dubs, a Holocaust survivor who pushed the Government initially into accepting child refugees, said he will challenge the "bitterly disappointing" termination of his amendment to the immigration act.

Mr Smith, appearing on BBC Question Time, was asked what he would say to a child refugee after the scheme had been ended.

BBC•GETTY

Owen Smith was slammed after apologising to refugees on behalf of Britain

I would say sorry on behalf of the British people

Owen Smith

"I would say sorry on behalf of the British people, for what I think is a shameful day for our country," the MP for Pontypridd said.

"Alf Dubs, who has put his name to this amendment… He's a great man and someone who was a refugee coming to this country as part of the Kindertransport, and he is absolutely clear that we need to do this.

"I am absolutely clear that we needed to take more of these refugees.”

Some viewers of the political debate show were riled by his remarks, using Twitter to vent their anger.

One wrote: "Little Owen Smith wants to 'apologise' to refugees because the UK taxpayer is not an open bank. Virtue-signalling cretin."

BBC

Viewers compared the moment to Lily Allen, who did the same while filming in Calais

Another tweeted: "If you want more immigrants why not put some up at your house instead of stretching council services."

Others compared his comments to those of Lily Allen, who apologised "on behalf of the country" to an Afghan refugee while filming inside the Calais Jungle camp last year.

"Owen Smith doing a cover version of Lily Allen’s apology for the British people. Spare us your grandstanding," posted another.

Someone else said: "Lily Allen masquerading as Owen Smith."

Children of the Refugee Crisis Tue, September 20, 2016

A photo report on the growing refugee crisis in Europe featuring children, some of who are orphans struggling to survive.

1 of 24

Ministers have said 350 children would arrive under the scheme by the time it is ended in March – while there was no targeted number, Lord Dubs suggested the UK could help up to 3,000 vulnerable children.

Defending the decision, Ms Rudd said the amendment "acts as a pull and encourages the people traffickers" to operate across Europe.

She said the Government remained committed to accepting 3,000 child refugees from war-torn regions such as Syria.

In response Lord Dubs said: "I believe in arbitrarily closing down the scheme, without any good reason for doing so, the Government is in breach of its own commitments."

Related articles

• MIGRANT SCANDAL: 200 illegals a DAY caught sneaking into UK
• ‘I might have got in!’ Farage backs Amber Rudd’s refugee policy
• LBC caller rages at 'do-gooder' refugee activist over Dubs amendment