CAROLINE LUCAS has criticised the Government’s U-turn on helping child refugees and said Brighton offers an alternative to the Prime Minister’s “little Britain”.

Writing in today’s Argus, the Brighton Pavilion MP said Theresa May had built her reputation on keeping foreigners out.

The joint leader of the Green party was responding to the Commons vote to reject a scheme for Britain to accept 3,000 unaccompanied Syrian child refugees.

Last week 294 MPs voted against the scheme against 276 for.

Those against were led by Home Secretary and Hastings and Rye MP Amber Rudd who said the scheme was “a magnet for people traffickers”, and warned it was “incentivising” migration.

All Sussex MPs followed her lead apart from the Labour MP for Hove, Peter Kyle and Ms Lucas.

Writing in today’s Argus Review, she said: “The truth is that there is no good reason for stopping this scheme.

“For it to continue it would have required the Government to give local authorities more resources to welcome refugee children.

“There’s no doubt that budgets are stretched.

“And welcoming people into our communities does have a financial cost, but it’s one that the Government can afford if the political will is there.

“The stark reality we’re facing is that we have a Government led by a PM who has built her reputation on keeping foreign people out.”

The vote was held in the midst of Brexit negotiations and on what was the last day before Parliamentary recess.

Many have suggested the timing was well planned including Ms Lucas who said the Government had attempting to “sneak out” the vote in a bid to avoid publicity.

She said: “From the Archbishop of Canterbury, to Gary Lineker to the many city residents who have written to their MPs and signed petitions – the Government clearly misjudged the public mood.

“Britain is a better country than we must seem right now to the rest of the world. From cosying up the racist, sexist US president to pulling up the drawbridge to refugee children stranded in Europe.

“Any hope we have of becoming a world leader on human rights in this time of uncertainty is fast fading.”

The Government had promised to take in 3,000 vulnerable child refugees but, to date, just 350 have benefitted from the scheme.

While highly critical of the Government, Ms Lucas said there is hope in the work being done in Brighton and Hove.

She said: “I’m deeply proud to represent a City of Sanctuary and I’m consistently inspired by the work done by volunteers who welcome refugees.

“In Parliament I will press the Prime Minister on the issue as soon as possible – and will continue to work with brilliant organisations like the Hummingbird project to support those in need.

“By continuing to be a beacon of hope in these dark times Brighton and Hove offers an alternative to Theresa May’s little Britain.

“Let’s make sure continues to hear the voices of those who believe in a welcoming society.”