THE Green Party called for donations to the refugee camp in northern France today as its autumn conference kicked off in Bournemouth.

Members are being asked to dig deep into their pockets and help more than 2,000 people living at the Calais site known as the Jungle. 

Green deputy leaders Amelia Womack and Shahrar Ali visited the Jungle in early August and are among a scant few senior British politicians to do so. “The camp has poor sanitation and insufficient access to water,” said Ms Womack.

“As we head into winter, it’s important that everyone there has access to adequate shelter, clothing, shoes and hygiene products.”

Yet, she added, donating “a little bit of spare change” was not the only way the Greens could help. “We can help Europe’s refugee crisis is by dispelling the myth that the people camped at the Jungle are a threat to the UK,” she said.

“It’s wrong that so many of the stories about Calais reaching the UK are demonising and dehumanising. 

“We’ve all seen the pictures of refugees making their way across Serbia, Hungary, Greece, Italy and some of the individual stories are both harrowing and uplifting.”

Money raised will be passed on to two of the aid organisations on the ground, Cal-Aid and L’Auberge des Migrants, with whom Ms Womack and Mr Ali met during their visit.