David Cameron rallies AGAINST controversial EU plans to open Britain to more refugees
DAVID Cameron has thrown his weight behind European Union rules obliging refugees to claim asylum in the first member state they enter.
David Cameron backed the principles behind the Dublin regulations
The Prime Minister said the "principle" behind the Dublin regulations is "very important" as Europe struggles to deal with the migrant crisis.
The European Commission has signalled it will lobby to scrap the rules, meaning Britain could be forced to take more refugees.
Although the UK could opt out of any new regime, it could hamper Britain's ability to send asylum seekers back to other EU members.
Mr Cameron said: "It is very important, the principle behind Dublin regulations.
"That you are able to return people to the country from which they came, where they should have claimed asylum – that is very important.
"At the heart of our system is the sense that you should be able to claim asylum in the first safe country you reach and that you should be able to send somebody back to that country."
Europe is facing the biggest migration crisis since the 1940s
We're not going to take part in relocation schemes
The Prime Minister also stressed his commitment to keeping the UK out of an EU-wide resettlement programme for refugees.
He said: "We're not going to take part in relocation schemes.
"People know with me that is deliverable because this was this giant relocation scheme.
"We said we are not taking part. Our approach has been vindicated. And we're certainly not going to change it."
Morgan Johansson blasted EU nations for not taking in more refugees
His comments came as Sweden's migration minister criticised Mr Cameron's response to the migrant crisis.
Morgan Johansson said he was "frustrated" by EU nations not taking in more refugees, adding: "I think that is about political leadership.
"You have to face your population, your voters and say 'this is something that we have to do' because we have a moral obligation to do that."