CAMPAIGNERS at Stand Up To Racism’s annual trade union conference on Saturday called for safer routes for refugees amid an escalation of far-right attacks on migrants.

Care4Calais chief Steve Smith pointed to how the truth was being “so distorted without conscience” by the mainstream media and the attacks that were made by the last Tory government.

He said that deterrent policies introduced by the Conservatives were continuing under Labour, adding: “People are fleeing for safety — but there are no safe routes, so they will take any system they can to get to safety.”