The United Kingdom (UK) government is on the receiving end of a barrage of criticism from opposition lawmakers and other European countries for reportedly accepting a meagre 760 out of 22,000 visa applications from Ukrainian refugees.
Addressing the Parliament on Wednesday, Scottish National Party leader Ian Blackford said that “nobody should support” the government’s response to the refugee crisis in Ukraine, which he described as “disgraceful,” particularly when compared to the response of other countries in Europe.
Yvette Cooper, the shadow Home Secretary of the opposition Labour Party, criticised the Home Office’s “bureaucracy” for holding up or turning down Ukrainian refugee visa applications. She accused them of demanding the refugees to go to the visa centres in Brussels, Paris, Warsaw, or Chisinau, despite warnings that the “geographical spread of visa applications centres was a real problem for vulnerable applicants leading to difficult journeys.”
Good grief. Why is Priti Patel not sorting this out?
— Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) March 9, 2022
Do people now have to go all the way to Calais before they can - maybe - be sent back to Lille?
This is making it harder not easier for desperate Ukrainian families. https://t.co/jAOmb4Sq1a
France, too, has criticised the UK for its handling of Ukrainian refugee visa applications. French Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin called the British response “totally inadequate” and highlighted its “lack of humanity.” Meanwhile, the Ukrainian ambassador to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko, also pointed out the “bureaucratic hassles” faced by his country’s refugees in the UK, saying, “We do understand that security checks must be thorough, especially at a time of military conflict, but we also believe that some bureaucratic procedures could be lessened, simplified.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel has borne the brunt of the criticism, with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin noting that Patel had raised concern that Ireland’s welcoming policy for Ukrainian refugees could be used by Ukrainian criminals and drug dealers as a “back door” to enter mainland UK. Irish MPs have called her comments “disgraceful” and “absolutely terrible.”
Even within Patel’s Conservative party, MPs have been calling for her resignation over the government’s handling of the issue. For example, MP Alec Shelbrooke said that the response was a “disgrace.” Meanwhile, Sir Roger Gale urged the government to introduce a “visa waiver” for children and adults with Ukrainian passports.
Alec Shelbrooke(Tory MP) - "Does the Home Office recognise that this is a war of the likes that has not been seen for 80 years in Europe... the Home Office must react far more quickly than it's doing... this is a disgrace...the Home Office needs to get a grip" 🔥 pic.twitter.com/PsQVNVZOUR
— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) March 8, 2022
In light of these criticisms, the British Home Office confirmed that the UK “stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the people” and vowed to take “urgent action to process visas at speed for all those eligible for the Ukraine Family Scheme, while carrying out vital security checks.”
🇬🇧🇺🇦 NOW OPEN – The UK's Ukraine Family Scheme:
— Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) March 4, 2022
✅ Extended family members can now apply to the scheme.
➡️ To apply: https://t.co/DRXZ4nv3jl
📲 For assistance, call the free 24/7 helpline:
+44 808 164 8810
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “We understand how much refugees have to give to this country and we understand how much this country has to gain from welcoming refugees, and we will be generous and we are being generous.”
However, he also asserted that it would be “irresponsible” to remove all the checks altogether. In fact, on Tuesday, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safe and Legal Migration Kevin Foster said that the government is not considering any relaxation of visa restrictions due to national security concerns.
Two million refugees have reportedly fled the Russian military assault on Ukraine. In response, several European countries have relaxed visa requirements to facilitate the evacuation of Ukrainians and other foreign nationals residing in the war-torn country.
In fact, the European Union (EU) has offered “immediate protection” to such individuals, with Poland having accepted over 1.2 million Ukrainians and even offering a $66 payment for each refugee. Meanwhile, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic have each welcomed over 100,000 Ukrainians, while Moldova, one of Europe’s poorest nations, had accepted 82,762 refugees by Sunday. In addition, Germany, France, and Ireland have welcomed 80,000, 2,500, and 2,200 refugees each.