CARTOONISTS are to produce a Welcome to Britain colouring book for refugee children in response to a Tory minister ordering staff at a child refugee reception centre to paint over cartoon characters on a wall because they were “too welcoming.”

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick gave the heartless order when he visited a reception centre in Dover and found Disney cartoon characters Mickey Mouse and Baloo the bear painted on a wall.

The colouring book will be produced by 50 members of the Professional Cartoonists’ Organisation, which includes some of the UK’s best-known cartoonists, among them Terry Gilliam and Tony Husband. They are working on the project with the Refugee Council.