Bucks MP defends Government as critics label Ukrainian refugee support ‘chaotic’ and ‘shameful’

MP for Buckingham, Greg Smith, has said he knows Priti Patel is “doing everything possible” after a Government watchdog raised the alarm over complaints that refugees fleeing Ukraine are facing “chaos and confusion” trying to reach the UK.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, an independent body set up to scrutinise the Government, has called for “swift action” from the Home Office to rectify failings.

Their report earlier this week highlighted incidents including relatives of UK residents being turned away from visa centres in Poland, centres being closed in Brussels, personal details being lost and appointments only being available weeks from now.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24^th February, over two million people have fled its war-torn cities, as Russia has indiscriminately bombed military and civilian targets, including a children’s hospital in Mariupol.

Ombudsman Rob Behrens said: "It is vital the Home Office acts to correct failings in its handling of visa applications, especially failings we have previously reported and which we are seeing repeated here.

“In this horrendous situation swift action is needed to make sure the process of getting a visa is simple, accessible and quick. Lives depend on it."

We put these concerns to MP for Buckingham, Greg Smith, who responded: “The United Kingdom is absolutely steadfast in supporting Ukraine via the supply of military equipment including anti-tank weapons, humanitarian aid, and ensuring those fleeing the war as refugees are able to come to the safety of our country.

“I know the Home Secretary is doing everything possible to ensure all schemes to welcome refugees are set up as soon as is humanly possible, whilst at all times ensuing our own national security is not compromised by Russian infiltration and other tactics."

The UK is currently only providing assistance to Ukrainians with relatives already living here or via a sponsorship scheme, the details of which no one has yet seen. By contrast, the EU has offered open sanctuary to anyone fleeing the Russian invasion, including a right to stay for three years with access to housing and social welfare.

As a consequence, while countries like France, Germany and Italy have already accepted tens of thousands of refugees each, only around 300 are thought to have reached the UK at the time of writing.

We contacted the charity Refugee Action about this, and their Chief Executive Tim Naor told us: "The Government's response to refugees fleeing Ukraine has been farcical and shameful.

"But we should not be surprised – Ministers have been chomping at the bit to destroy our refugee protection system and what we're seeing in their response to Ukraine is the consequence of that.

"A highly bureaucratic and restrictive family visa scheme to deal with a crisis in which more than 2 million people have been displaced is not only inadequate, it's immoral.

"The tinkering has to stop. We need an immediately accessible route for Ukrainians to travel to the UK to seek safety here.”

The number of refugees coming from Ukraine is expected to reach four million within days and could eventually number seven million. UN High Commissioner for Refugees has called it the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War.

[PICTURE: Parliamentary Ombudsman Rob Behrens]