> Refugees from Ukraine are only welcome in the UK if they have relatives there. Prime Minister Johnson does not want to change this practice, but announces an “incredibly generous” admission programme.
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> The British government is coming under increasing criticism for its handling of war refugees from Ukraine. According to the Home Office in London, as of Sunday just about 50 visas had been issued to Ukrainians. That represents less than one per cent of the full applications made so far.
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> “This is too slow. Too many hurdles for desperate families to overcome,” Labour politician Yvette Cooper tweeted.
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> Johnson defended his government’s approach on Monday, announcing a system that would be “very, very generous” and also allow visas to be sponsored for Ukrainians. However, he also made clear: “What we will not do is have a system where people can come to Britain without checks. That wouldn’t be right.”
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> The United Nations estimates that more than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia began bombing the neighbouring country, with hundreds of thousands fleeing to Poland, Romania, Slovakia and other countries.
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> Unlike the EU countries, the UK does not want to accept Ukrainians without restrictions. The criteria have recently been relaxed somewhat. However, only those who already have family members in Britain are allowed to enter. According to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, up to 200,000 Ukrainians could be admitted to Britain through the “incredibly generous programme”. But the formalities are reportedly causing difficulties for many people.
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> “Lack of humanity”
> Criticism is also coming from the ruling party itself. “This is certainly not a success,” the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of Commons, Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, told radio station LBC on Monday. He said there was a need to ensure that the Home Office implemented the pledge to take in refugees from Ukraine.
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> France’s Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin had accused the British on Sunday of a “lack of humanity”. Around 150 Ukrainians who wanted to travel across the English Channel to visit relatives in Great Britain had been asked by the British side to first apply for visas in Paris or Brussels, the Frenchman said.
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1 comment
> Refugees from Ukraine are only welcome in the UK if they have relatives there. Prime Minister Johnson does not want to change this practice, but announces an “incredibly generous” admission programme.
>
>
> The British government is coming under increasing criticism for its handling of war refugees from Ukraine. According to the Home Office in London, as of Sunday just about 50 visas had been issued to Ukrainians. That represents less than one per cent of the full applications made so far.
>
> “This is too slow. Too many hurdles for desperate families to overcome,” Labour politician Yvette Cooper tweeted.
>
> Johnson defended his government’s approach on Monday, announcing a system that would be “very, very generous” and also allow visas to be sponsored for Ukrainians. However, he also made clear: “What we will not do is have a system where people can come to Britain without checks. That wouldn’t be right.”
>
> The United Nations estimates that more than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia began bombing the neighbouring country, with hundreds of thousands fleeing to Poland, Romania, Slovakia and other countries.
>
> Unlike the EU countries, the UK does not want to accept Ukrainians without restrictions. The criteria have recently been relaxed somewhat. However, only those who already have family members in Britain are allowed to enter. According to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, up to 200,000 Ukrainians could be admitted to Britain through the “incredibly generous programme”. But the formalities are reportedly causing difficulties for many people.
>
> “Lack of humanity”
> Criticism is also coming from the ruling party itself. “This is certainly not a success,” the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of Commons, Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, told radio station LBC on Monday. He said there was a need to ensure that the Home Office implemented the pledge to take in refugees from Ukraine.
>
> France’s Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin had accused the British on Sunday of a “lack of humanity”. Around 150 Ukrainians who wanted to travel across the English Channel to visit relatives in Great Britain had been asked by the British side to first apply for visas in Paris or Brussels, the Frenchman said.
>