THE European Union is founded on the positive premise that working together, the countries across our continent can better face the challenges of the modern world.

But as the London-based campaigns around the upcoming referendum on UK membership kick into gear, it’s already a depressing sight. Claim is met by counter claim, with both sides more intent on attacking each other than putting forward a constructive case for their side of the argument. On breakfast radio yesterday morning the pro-EU campaign was attacked for promoting fear, uncertainty and doubt. It’s depressing stuff.

Rather than focusing on the same negative tactics shown by Better Together in our own referendum, a campaign which lost significant support in the immediate run up to the vote, the stay campaign needs to be in favour of something not just against change of any sort.

Europe currently faces an almost unprecedented crisis in how it responds to the current influx of refugees from Syria and elsewhere, and in doing so faces a huge test of leadership. So now is the time for the international community to step up to this challenge and work together to address the ongoing humanitarian disaster, our own government included.

Europe is seen as a beacon of democracy and prosperity to displaced and vulnerable people in the Middle East and beyond. That’s why we’re seen as a safe haven for those fleeing conflict and the horror of life under terrorist rule. The only way to emerge stronger from the current grave situation is to build on these foundations, not knock them down. We need to come together and demonstrate to the world that our democracy and compassion will overcome the challenges we face.

What better way to send a positive message about the power of the EU to be a force for good in the world than for David Cameron to join with Angela Merkel and others and agree that we will take in our fair share of children who have fled to Europe without their families?

These unaccompanied children are facing a deeply traumatic and damaging experience at a formative stage in their lives and no longer have their family around them for support. A major part of the work of agencies like UNHCR in the region has been to provide psychological support and counselling for refugees whose deep emotional scars will remain for years ahead. All these children will have missed out on vital stages of their education and development, and now even the more fortunate ones who have successfully fled the conflict at home to supposed safety in Europe live in danger of falling into the hands of people traffickers, prostitution, child labour or the drugs trade.

This last weekend a group of 14 volunteers from Glasgow travelled to Calais to provide medical cover and direct aid for refugees. They took donations of food, clothes and shelter for people who are living in tents over winter. While the kindness and compassion of this group, and the many like them from all over the country who have personally responded on such a huge scale to the desperate needs of others is to be admired, charity alone won’t solve these escalating problems.

Westminster’s cross-party International Development Committee has published a report which supports the aims of a campaign led by Save The Children, which has called for the UK to give a safe haven to 3,000 unaccompanied children already in the EU. I’ve also joined with other SNP, Labour, Tory and Liberal Democrat MPs who have individually signed up to support this campaign. The International Development Secretary has given positive indications that the UK Government is considering this matter, but they need to come to a decision soon.

If David Cameron is to succeed in changing the UK’s relationship with our partners in the EU, he’ll need to give as well as take. Now he’s committed to this dangerous and unnecessary process, asking everyone else around the negotiation table to give way to him without making clear what issues he’ll concede on would show poor tactical judgment at a crucial point in this process.

While we have work to do to address the detail of our relationship with our EU partners and make the reforms we all want to see to ensure it operates more effectively for the benefit of everyone here in Scotland, membership of the EU absolutely remains in Scotland’s interests.

Working with our European partners to address this issue with compassion and solidarity would first and foremost make a huge difference to the lives and life chances of these poor children. Over and above this immediate benefit, it would send out a clear and unambiguous message that the European Union remains a force for good in a dangerous and changing world.

Who couldn’t support a positive message like that?