CAMPAIGNERS said the government has “blood on its hands” today as they called for safe passage for refugees.

Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) supporters are to gather outside Downing Street this evening to call for a more human asylum policy, allowing better routes into Britain as people wait for their applications to be processed.

The call comes after six refugees died on Saturday while attempting to cross the English Channel from France and amid the government’s “stop the boats” campaign.

SUTR co-convenor Sabby Dhalu said: “The government has blood on its hands.

“It’s disgraceful and disturbing that refugees drowning has become normalised.

“The only way to stop the boats is to allow safe passage for refugees whilst their asylum claims are processed.”

Ms Dhalu said that the government is “not interested in solving the problem,” adding: “It simply wants to stoke up racism, division and hatred to distract from its cost-of-living crisis failures.

“This is a deliberate policy of their own making – make the rich richer, make everyone else worse off and blame refugees in boats.”

The group said that the government’s stirring up of racism was illustrated by its defence of Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson’s comments that if asylum-seekers were unhappy with barge accommodations, they could “f*** off back to France.”

SUTR co-convenor Weyman Bennett said: “Racism from politicians can lead to a rise in racist attacks on the ground.

“We demand safe passage and a more humane asylum policy.”

More than 1,600 people were detected making the dangerous journey from France between Thursday and Saturday last week, according to Home Office figures.