LONDON -- Britain's prime minister David Cameron found himself under increasing pressure Thursday to do more about about the growing refugee crisis, as some newspapers published front-page photographs of a drowned child found washed up on a beach in Turkey.
A day earlier, Cameron said the country should not take "more and more refugees," rejecting calls from Germany who suggested that Britain's position on the crisis could hurt its efforts to renegotiate its deal with the European Union.
Speaking on a trip to Northamptonshire, the prime minister said Britain takes its "fair share" of migrants, indicating no shift from the government's current position.
"We are taking action right across the board, helping countries from which these people are coming, stabilising them and trying to make sure there are worthwhile jobs and stronger economies there," he said. Britain is the second biggest bilateral donor of aid to Syria, pledging £900 million. But Thursday brought new pressures.
Politicians, some from his own party, said not enough is being done
Conservative MP David Burrowes tweeted that the UK should be taking more refugees than it is. The backbencher also commented to the Daily Telegraph that the country should be "taking thousands, not hundreds."
..at the very least we should accept more than 1% Syrian refugees because we accept more than 1% responsibility.. pic.twitter.com/fEmLqHJB2X— David Burrowes (@davidburrowesmp) September 3, 2015
MP for Stratford-on-Avon Nadhim Zahawi tweeted the image of the young refugee with a clear message.
We r nothing without compassion. Pic should make us all ashamed. We have failed in Syria.I am sorry little angel,RIP. pic.twitter.com/H2Pd7TL2tn— Nadhim Zahawi (@nadhimzahawi) September 3, 2015
Others in opposition agreed.
Somebody's child. A heartbreaking and powerful front page. We must do more @David_Cameron https://t.co/eIVWd4tTJR— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) September 2, 2015
My letter to @David_Cameron.Shameful Britain still refusing sanctuary to desperate refugees.We must not turn our back http://t.co/N23j5286Tn— Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) September 3, 2015
.@timfarron: Britain must take in more refugees. There is a humanitarian crisis on our doorstep and we must act now. pic.twitter.com/DfUmDXo3Ov— Lib Dem Press Office (@LibDemPress) September 2, 2015
A U.N. rep called on Britain to do more
[img src="http://admin.mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/calais1.jpg" caption="Children play football in a migrant camp called the "Jungle" in Calais." credit="Sipa" alt="calais1"]
Speaking on BBC's Newsnight programme, U.N. special representative Peter Sutherland said Britain could do more about the current crisis.
"The only way to solve this problem is by a united European response and that means sharing responsibility for appalling suffering," he said, adding: "At the moment it is true to say that a number of countries are massively bearing the burden of this."
Thousands signed a petition calling for debate
A petition on petition.parliament.uk that forces Parliament to consider the issue for debate got a flurry of signatures overnight at one point receiving 100 a minute. By 10:30 a.m. BST it had more than surpassed the number needed for Parliament to consider debating the matter.
The refugees petition is getting about 100 signatures a minute. It's about 27,000 short of forcing MPs to debate: https://t.co/Xovy5VoB6s— tom_watson (@tom_watson) September 3, 2015
The hashtag #refugeeswelcome was trending on Twitter on Thursday morning after a campaign launched by The Independent newspaper.
Germany told Britain to do more
The German ambassador further piled on the pressure, saying Britain isn't doing enough. Peter Ammon said Wednesday that Germany has taken 43% of all asylum seekers that have come to Europe in recent months.
"Britain has taken in refugees for centuries and I think not to your disadvantage and I think we will expect that all partners will make their best efforts to contribute to the solution of this problem," he said, speaking on BBC Radio 4's World at One.
Responding to the growing pressure, Cameron said Thursday afternoon that "as a father I felt deeply moved" by the image of the young refugee on the beach.
"Britain is a moral nation and we will fulfil our moral responsibilities," he said, adding that the only way deal with the issue was to solve the problems at source.
In August, the agency tasked with managing Europe's border management said that the number of migrants found on the EU's borders tripled to 107,500 compared to the same month last year, surpassing the 100,000 mark for a month for the first time since Frontex began keeping records in 2008.
Ongoing conflict and economic instability in the Middle East and Africa are driving waves of people out of these regions in search of a better life in Europe with many taking big risks to make the journey.
UPDATED 4:45 p.m. BST to reflect comments made by the prime minister.