Great Britian & the Holocaust: Foreign Secretary Rejects Request to Evacuate Jews

The following is a direct reply from the British Foreign Secretary to a request by a Parliament Member to evacuate Jews from Nazi territories

“His Majesty's Government are not prepared to take the initiative in making representations to the Nazi Government in the sense suggested by the honourable Member, which would mean that that Government would allow to depart only those whom it was in its interests to get rid of. Moreover, it must be remembered that there are other victims of Nazi oppression besides the Jews who are equally anxious to escape from the clutches of their oppressors.

As regards the rest of the question, I regret that I am not at present in a position add anything to the statement made by the Deputy Prime Minister on the 19th January and to the replies made by me on the 10th February ...”

Sources: British National Archives