The Government suffered a humiliating defeat in the Lords as peers voted for a clause which will help unaccompanied child refugees reunite with their family members in the UK.
The Lord Dubs amendment to the Nationality and Borders Bill will give safe passage to all unaccompanied minors from European countries.
Peers voted 178-130 for the cross party amendment in the Lords chamber on Wednesday evening.
It was among a series of defeats inflicted by the upper chamber on the flagship Nationality and Borders Bill, setting the stage for a protracted round of parliamentary ping-pong, where legislation passes between the unelected chamber and the Commons.
The United Nations expects the ukraine -crisis> Ukraine crisis to displace up to five million people.
Earlier this week, the Tories accepted Ukrainian refugee families should be together in the UK, after days of claiming security risks were preventing them from being "generous".
Brexit scrapped European Union regulation on family reunion that made it easier for separated families to come together in the UK.
Since the UK left the EU, no child refugee in France supported by safe passage has been able to reunite safely with their family here in the UK, turning instead to treacherous journeys across the Channel.
Beth Gardiner-Smith, CEO of Safe Passage International said: “We welcome the news that Lords have voted for Lord Dubs’ proposal to open a new safe route for unaccompanied child refugees in Europe to reunite with family here in the UK.
"Just this week we’ve seen the Government accept that Ukrainian refugee families should be together here in the UK.
"The Government must now match this commitment for refugee children of other nationalities who are stuck alone in Europe despite having family here."
“Lord Dubs’ safe route would be a lifeline for refugee children stranded alone on the streets of Calais or in refugee camps on Greek islands. Without safe passage, child refugees have no choice but to risk their lives travelling in the back of lorries or risking dinghies across the Channel to reach loved ones and sanctuary in the UK.
“Next MPs must listen and vote to protect unaccompanied refugee children when this Bill returns to the House of Commons in the coming weeks.”
In the same session, peers rejected a controversial move that would enable the Government to offshore asylum seekers.
The House of Lords voted by 208 to 155, majority 53, to strip out the contentious provisions from legislation allowing overseas processing centres to be set up, similar to those used by Australia.
The measure to offshore asylum drew cross-party criticism in the upper chamber.
Tory peer Baroness Stroud questioned how the policy would work in practice.
She said: “How are we going to apply an operation that would be at the best of times excruciatingly complex to execute on a potentially huge scale?
“And, of course, there is the irony of people seeking safety only to find themselves in a position of renewed vulnerability, potentially held indefinitely in detention abroad.”
She added: “This proposal is deeply concerning and unworkable on numerous levels.
“The powers it would grant to our Government are on the one hand ill-defined but on the other hand far-reaching.
“Potentially hugely expensive and yet ineffective.
“Exposing vulnerable people to further trauma rather than offering protection.”
The Bishop of Durham, the Rt Rev Paul Butler, highlighted the “deep harm that offshoring would have on everyone”, particularly children.
Former EastEnders actor Lord Cashman branded the policy “entirely unacceptable”.
The Labour peer, who previously served as an MEP, said: “It will place vulnerable people at risk.”
Responding, Home Office minister Baroness Williams of Trafford said: “The fact discussions are ongoing means I can’t give any particulars on how the process would work, and indeed the costings, would pan out.
“Much of these matters are for the negotiation table.”
She told peers: “This policy will only ever be operationalised in accordance with our international obligations.
“We are committed to ensuring overseas asylum processing is both humane and safe, taking into circumstances which may mean that overseas processing is not appropriate for particular individuals.
“But for far too long we have allowed people smugglers to decide where and how people cross borders and claim asylum.
“These uncontrolled and unsafe routes have led to terrible tragedies off our shores."
