Prime Minister David Cameron has confirmed that the UK will provide resettlement for thousands more Syrian refugees.
Britain will take refugees from UN camps on the Syrian border, rather than those already in Europe.
David Cameron said the UK would act with its “head and heart” to find a long-term solution to the crisis.
Hundreds of thousands of people have signed a petition calling for Britain to do more – since shocking images were seen of a drowned Syrian boy’s body on a beach in Turkey.e
Mr Cameron said: “We have already accepted around 5,000 Syrians, and we’ve introduced a specific resettlement scheme alongside those we already have to help those Syrian refugees particularly at risk.
“As I said earlier this week, we will accept thousands more under these existing schemes, and we keep them under review. Given the scale of the crisis and the suffering of people, today I can announce that we will do more, providing resettlement for thousands more Syrian refugees.
“We will continue with our approach of taking them from the refugee camps. This provides them with a more direct and safe route to the United Kingdom, rather than risking the hazardous journey which has tragically cost so many their lives.”
The Prime Minister promised that details of the scheme would be announced next week, after discussions with Non Governmental Organisations and other partners, and Britain would act with “our head and our heart”.
The refugee crisis was “the biggest challenge facing countries across Europe today”, he said.
Among more than 220,000 people detected crossing the Mediterranean were individuals “from different countries under different circumstances”, including many Syrians fleeing the conflict in that country.
The PM said: “Britain has a moral responsibility to help refugees, as we have done throughout our history. We are already providing sanctuary and will continue to do so.
“As the second-largest bilateral donor to the crisis, we have provided over £900 million in aid to help those affected in Syria and the region. We have funded shelter, food, water, vital medical supplies for millions of desperate refugees fleeing the conflict and helping them survive in the countries around Syria, like Jordan and Lebanon.
“No European country has done more than Britain in this regard. Were it not for that massive aid, the numbers making the perilous journey to Europe today would be even higher.”
He added: “Britain will continue to work with partners to tackle the conflict in Syria, to provide support to the region, to go after the smuggling gangs exploiting these people and we will continue to save lives at sea,” he said.
“HMS Enterprise remains in the Mediterranean alongside the border force cutters, and together with HMS Bulwark they have now rescued more than 6,700 people.
“Britain will act with our head and our heart, providing refuge to those in need while working on long term-solutions to this crisis.
“As I said earlier in the week, this means bringing to an end the conflicts that are driving so many to flee – including the bloodbath that has engulfed Syria.”