With the refugee crisis as the current top news item – and, more importantly, how to help refugees - Heidi Allen, our MP, has suggested using the empty Bassingbourn barracks to house refugees on a temporary basis.

Interviewed on BBC's Look East on 7th September, she emphasised this is only an idea.  First though, she is to discuss this with parliamentary secretaries, SCDC and Cambridge City MP Daniel Zeichner – and if it is to happen, local councillors and parish councils must be involved too.

Earlier yesterday, Heidi was also interviewed on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire about her suggestion in a joint discussion with Councillor Sebastian Kindersley, who fully supports the idea.

Whether this is a practical idea remains to be seen – memories of problems when Libyan trainees were stationed at the barracks earlier this year are still fresh in many local peoples' minds.

And as Cllr Ray Manning, leader of South Cambs District Council, said: "This international crisis needs a properly planned and coordinated response from governments across Europe.

"We have heard headline figures from the Prime Minister, but as he has made clear, this crisis goes far beyond simply trying to put a roof over people's head in the short term.

"We need a longer term coordinated plan that is funded and includes health, education and social care. We will now work with our local MPs, other councils and health partners in the area to press the government for more details."

Heidi has a page on her website dedicated to the refugee crisis.

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