IT was interesting to see UKIP’s Averil Sumners showing her respect for the United Nations by using figures from the UN to support her criticism of local refugee support groups (Review, October 23).

Unfortunately she forgot to give us precise details of the UN report that used these figures so that we could look it up and share in the enlightenment she gained from it.

Searching the internet I could find no reference to it.

She also forgot to mention two other UN statements that can easily be found on the web and which directly contradict her argument.

The United Nations High Commissioners for Refugees specifically welcomed measures to improve living and reception conditions in the Nord-Pas-de- Calais region (UN News Centre 20 August 20 www.un.org).

Peter Sutherland, the United Nations special representative on migration dismissed the idea that treating people in the Jungle humanely would act as a significant pull factor: ‘This stuff about pull factors … I am sick of it,’ he said. ‘It is sickening that people are using that as an excuse to leave people living in absolute squalor.’” (The Guardian, September 27)

Please notice that I give details of my sources. I wouldn’t want readers to think I made them up.

Whether Ms Sumners’ reference to the UN is correct or not, by “cherry picking” information she risks giving readers a totally false impression of the attitude of the United Nations towards the present crisis in Calais and beyond.

– Peter Strong, Caldicot