CALLS are being made for the government to 'step up' and create a Turkey and Syria visa scheme to help reunite people with their families in the UK in the aftermath of the earthquake. 

As it stands, more than 44,000 people are confirmed to have lost their lives in south-eastern Turkey and northern Syria.

Lib dems are calling on the government to adopt an approach similar to the Ukraine Visa Scheme, which allowed for Ukrainians fleeing conflict as war broke out with Russia to receive a temporary visa and come to the UK. 

Lib dem parliamentary campaigner, Brian Wernham, was amongst those calling for the actions to be made. 

"The conservatives need to step up and help those that have been affected by this devastating earthquake. 

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"The UK government must do what it can to help reunite families, by setting up a visa sponsorship scheme, so people with relatives in the UK can get the support they need - it's been an extremely difficult time for both Turkish and Syrian families here in the UK trying to look after their loved ones across borders," he said. 

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A petition, which has 81,882 signatures, has been set up to try and coax the government into offering such a solution in this time of need. 

In response to the petition, a spokesperson from the government said: "The UK Government has no plans to create a new visa scheme for family members of British citizens affected by the earthquake.

"We recognise that some people displaced by the natural disaster may wish to join family in the UK, and where those family members do not have a current UK visa, they can apply for one via one of our standard visa routes, which remain available, and applications can be submitted at the nearest Visa Application Centre."