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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be so angry with our government treatment of refugees.

245 replies

Kendodd · 08/03/2022 08:43

First Syria
Then Afganistan
Now Ukraine
They see a crisis and put every barrier they can get away with to keep people out.
The first two they pretended 'ooh security ' so many young men, they're all Islamist terrorists.
Well what's their excuse now? This lot are all women and children.
I suspect the truth is this plays well with their bluekip 'they're not coming here' base, that's why they do it.
I'm not even going to bother writing to my Leave supporting Tory MP about this one. No fucking point. I'll just get the Tory HQ lies back about how we're doing more than any other country for refugees (actually heard Johnson say that on the radio yesterday).
I'm ashamed to be British.

OP posts:
Dyrne · 08/03/2022 08:45

If you’re not even going to bother writing to your MP, which takes zero effort, then you can’t really moan, can you?

Plenty of charities to get involved with to help support refugees, I’m assuming you’re already aware of them and lending a hand?

OhMygodddd · 08/03/2022 08:45

It’s all well and good taking them in but the country doesn’t even have the infrastructure to support the citizens already here.

Kendodd · 08/03/2022 09:04

Completely agree that the Tories have absolutely decimated public services, but who's fault is that? It's not the fault of refugees, they can't even vote.

OP posts:
HereComesSpringAgain · 08/03/2022 09:09

Did government actually say that ... they are Islamist terrorists/security?

Who said that?

Kendodd · 08/03/2022 09:09

To those jumping up at down shouting about being full up etc. Suggest you read the diary of Anne Frank, this government would have absolutely 100% put up every barrier they could to lock the doors on her.

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 08/03/2022 09:10

I agree that you can't really complain if you're not even willing to write to your MP. They are literally your gateway to the central government.

Them voting leave doesn't mean they are horrible monsters, you know.

OhMygodddd · 08/03/2022 09:11

I didn’t say we was full up, I said we don’t currently have a sufficient infrastructure to support the people who already reside in the country…of all races.

You should calm down abit, if your that passionate about it I assume your doing all you can already, there’s only so much you can do.

HereComesSpringAgain · 08/03/2022 09:12

@OhMygodddd

I didn’t say we was full up, I said we don’t currently have a sufficient infrastructure to support the people who already reside in the country…of all races.

You should calm down abit, if your that passionate about it I assume your doing all you can already, there’s only so much you can do.

Were you also 'jumping up and shouting' about it too....op seems to think so

OhMygodddd · 08/03/2022 09:13

The only one jumping up and down is the Op, she clearly had her weetabix for breakfast 😂

Crankley · 08/03/2022 09:14

How many refugees have you taken into your home in the past OP, and how many Ukranian refugees are you planning on housing? Or perhaps you're aware of hundreds of empty properties just waiting for the refugees to arrive?

MrsSkylerWhite · 08/03/2022 09:14

Mark Easton’s Newsnight report from Calais last night was beyond shocking.

Three junior people in an empty, difficult to find without going through hoops port building, a trestle table, a packet of crisps or a kit kat and no visa applications, just a phone number to ring between certain hours.
Shameful.

PenStation · 08/03/2022 09:21

Write to your MP. They might be a stupid tory wanker but they are obliged to reply provided you keep it polite and factual. Grin

MrsSkylerWhite · 08/03/2022 09:27

I used to work for one. They didn’t reply, I did 🙄

LakieLady · 08/03/2022 09:30

@Dyrne

If you’re not even going to bother writing to your MP, which takes zero effort, then you can’t really moan, can you?

Plenty of charities to get involved with to help support refugees, I’m assuming you’re already aware of them and lending a hand?

There's no point in writing to my brainless, sheep-like piece of lobby fodder that purports to represent the people of her constituency either.

She supports the Tories' "hostile environment" for immigration, and this is what it means in practice. I hope all those who voted Tory are pleased with themselves now.

Mind you, the LDs aren't blameless either, they didn't really do much to stop this when they were in coalition.

BeenToldComputerSaysNo · 08/03/2022 09:33

OP, it is shameful. Writing to your MP probably is useless, but do it anyway.

LakieLady · 08/03/2022 09:33

@OhMygodddd

I didn’t say we was full up, I said we don’t currently have a sufficient infrastructure to support the people who already reside in the country…of all races.

You should calm down abit, if your that passionate about it I assume your doing all you can already, there’s only so much you can do.

And whose fault is it that there has been insufficient investment in infrastructure?

Infrastructure has been sacrificed on the altar of austerity, just like health, education and social welfare.

LakieLady · 08/03/2022 09:35

@PenStation

Write to your MP. They might be a stupid tory wanker but they are obliged to reply provided you keep it polite and factual. Grin
Mine always sends a a bog standard letter slightly tailored to the matter in question. Well, one of her minions does. I doubt if she so much as glances at the letters she gets.
girlmom21 · 08/03/2022 09:36

@MrsSkylerWhite

I used to work for one. They didn’t reply, I did 🙄
But they do help sometimes so would you decide which letters were worth their time? How did it work?
Satsumaeater · 08/03/2022 09:38

perhaps you're aware of hundreds of empty properties just waiting for the refugees to arrive

we have at least half a million empty properties. I know some of them won't be habitable but many will be, and even if they are not perfect, better an imperfect place to live where you are safe and secure, rather than somewhere which is being bombed every night.

In any event, a lot of the people wanting to come here, have family here, so they have somewhere to stay.

Also, there are well over a million second homes in the UK. Not rented - second or holiday homes. Some of them could be used for refugees.

I agree we need more infrastructure. But many of the people escaping Ukraine are probably skilled people with good English language skills and could no doubt contribute to our society - for example if they are medically trained or teachers.

Mamamia7962 · 08/03/2022 09:41

Kendodd - These threads are getting boring now. On the last one you said you were happy to take in a Ukrainian refugee, have you done anything about that yet?

BeckySharpish · 08/03/2022 09:53

The British Government is disgraceful and the replies on this thread show how many British people think the way Britain is being governed is fine. The reputation of Britain is in the toilet.
Ireland is taking thousands of Ukrainian refugees. They will be given a social security number a social worker if needed and a school place, and their visa requirements have been waived because they are being bombed to shit and it is nearly all women and children. I’m taking 2 young women, my sister two women and an 11 year old, my friend 1 women with her 2 children.
The Irish refugee council is getting people out although it’s lagging behind what ordinary Irish citizens are doing - paying for Ryanair flights from Warsaw or krakow and welcoming people in to their homes. The people who have arrived so far have small backpacks, suitcases had to be ditched due to no space on trains. They have left husbands and sons and fathers behind. It’s utterly heartbreaking and British people who say there isn’t space are selfish cunts. We have a housing crisis here but people are finding space.

MrsSkylerWhite · 08/03/2022 09:54

girlmom21

MrsSkylerWhite
I used to work for one. They didn’t reply, I did 🙄

But they do help sometimes so would you decide which letters were worth their time? How did it work?“

She was an opposition frontbencher. I collected the post, read it, opened a “case” or otherwise, did the legwork, replied and presented for signature (or pp’d).
She was personally involved in very few cases. I would brief prior to constituency surgeries, many of which I took myself (with no specific training). The few cases she “took a personal interest in” had the potential of becoming high profile or were useful in demonstrating poor Government policy, I brought them to her attention.

Much of which explains why I eventually resigned. There were hundreds of people like me in Westminster.

girlmom21 · 08/03/2022 09:56

@MrsSkylerWhite oh wow, thanks for the explanation! I didn't realise they were that disengaged!

Coffeeisnecessary · 08/03/2022 09:57

I would like to take in a refugee, we have space, how do we do that if they aren't being allowed into the country? I have no idea where to start.

ThinkAboutItTomorrow · 08/03/2022 09:59

I'm slightly hopeful that the way the Tories are misreading the room right now will backfire as so many people know people in the Ukraine.

I have family who are leave voters. Anti immigrant. Don't get the difference between a refugee, asylum seeker and economic immigrants.

But one of my relatives is married to a Ukrainian and was living there. Has now fled after being bombed.

There are people cheering his escape on over Facebook who have Britain First stuff all over their timeline. The idea that he is now a refugee and needs to figure out how to get a visa for his wife and elderly mil must be weird for them to get their heads round. The same people who cheer on Priti Patel and say she's soft on immigrants are now aghast that he can't just get a train home and bring his family with him.

The mentality that it's different when it's someone you know is strong. I'm hoping that enough Brits know Ukrainians, worked with them, drank with them, that it sparks a change. Maybe.