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AIBU?

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Original poster

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:
Brainwave89 · 08/03/2022 11:12

Lots of the Ukrainians coming here will stay with relatives. I am happy to put up women and children in my two spare rooms. I think there are many people who will do the same. As at yesterday only granted 50 visas is simply unacceptable. Most refugees will go to adjoining countries, but we need to take a goodly amount.

EmpressCixi · 08/03/2022 11:17

@beguilingeyes

A lot of the people who want UK visas have family here already who can support them. Elderly parents is just one example. They're not lone travellers. and we won't even let them in. These people are running for their lives FGS.
That’s not true. Any Ukrainian refugee with family that are British or are settled residents (have indefeinite leave to remain, takes 5yrs to acquire) can immediately come and stay for 3 yrs.

Any refugee that doesn’t meet the above, can immediately come and stay for 1 year.

All of the above can immediately claim benefits, access public services like NHS and schools and work.

(Unlike nonwhite refugees).

UnconditionalSurrender · 08/03/2022 11:18

Having seen the scenes in Berlin where people are queuing to offer rooms to refugees, I'm pretty sure there are enough decent compassionate people in the UK who would do the same. These people, mostly women and children, are war refugees, anything else but offering a safe haven is abhorrent. But this government is abhorrent and devoid of humanity.

EmpressCixi · 08/03/2022 11:19

The UK has issued just 300 visas so far - they've had 17,700 applications from Ukranians to join their own families.

Yes, but because these are emergency visas they are allowed to come here and then register for the 1 or 3 yr visa they are eligible for. So the delay in 1 or 3yr visas being issued isn’t affecting them getting here.

DGRossetti · 08/03/2022 11:21

That’s not true. Any Ukrainian refugee with family that are British or are settled residents (have indefeinite leave to remain, takes 5yrs to acquire) can immediately come and stay for 3 yrs.

Bollocks. The UK citizen the BBC spoke to in Calais last night can't get his family back. The UK public is being treated the same way Putin is treating the Russian public. We are being lied to at every turn. Look how Johnson and Patel can't even agree on the same lie.

And "I don't recognise those figures" doesn't mean you are wrong.

forinborin · 08/03/2022 11:26

@EmpressCixi

The UK has issued just 300 visas so far - they've had 17,700 applications from Ukranians to join their own families.

Yes, but because these are emergency visas they are allowed to come here and then register for the 1 or 3 yr visa they are eligible for. So the delay in 1 or 3yr visas being issued isn’t affecting them getting here.

Where are you taking this from? This is simply not true. Ukrainians are not allowed to "come here and register for the visa". The application process under Ukraine Family Scheme is pretty much the same as applications for other British visas. Paperwork, then an appointment at the visa centre abroad for biometrics, then wait until it is processed and issued - and the current processing timeframes are suggested to be in days and weeks, rather than hours. There is no route open as of now for the in-country applications.
EmpressCixi · 08/03/2022 11:35

@DGRossetti

That’s not true. Any Ukrainian refugee with family that are British or are settled residents (have indefeinite leave to remain, takes 5yrs to acquire) can immediately come and stay for 3 yrs.

Bollocks. The UK citizen the BBC spoke to in Calais last night can't get his family back. The UK public is being treated the same way Putin is treating the Russian public. We are being lied to at every turn. Look how Johnson and Patel can't even agree on the same lie.

And "I don't recognise those figures" doesn't mean you are wrong.

He can. The Home Office is working to get set up to do the paperwork for emergency visas. They’ve been promised it will only take a week. Meanwhile can wait safely in France. Yes, the government can’t do things on such short notice...it’s only been a week since invasion started. Yes can say they are too slow, or too disorganised. But can’t say government is doing nothing and won’t let Ukrainian refugees come here, when they manifestly are taking steps to do this.
MorningStarling · 08/03/2022 11:35

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

MimosaPiqueNique · 08/03/2022 11:35

Britain is the only European country requiring visas for Ukrainians escaping war.

Even Ben Wallace has said it’s taking too long.

EmpressCixi · 08/03/2022 11:37

@forinborin
Where are you taking this from? This is simply not true. Ukrainians are not allowed to "come here and register for the visa"

From parliament records. They’ve approved emergency visas. The government just has to implement it and it will take a week. You are describing the family scheme process for a nonemergency family visa which is all that is in place as of today.

Samcro · 08/03/2022 11:38

i think we should take more.....BUT
where are they going to live? pretend otherwise but we have a shortage of SH and people from Afganistan are still in hotels.

Alltheprettyseahorses · 08/03/2022 11:40

We should certainly be open to any Ukrainian refugee who wants to come but I doubt there will be many. Think how you'd feel, you'd want to stay close to home and get back as soon as possible. Your life is there, family, neighbours, friends. Of course the people who are in Poland didn't have to sort visas, they just went over the border to the nearest place of safety. Visas are for forward planning which is what coming to the UK means.

forinborin · 08/03/2022 11:42

[quote EmpressCixi]@forinborin
Where are you taking this from? This is simply not true. Ukrainians are not allowed to "come here and register for the visa"

From parliament records. They’ve approved emergency visas. The government just has to implement it and it will take a week. You are describing the family scheme process for a nonemergency family visa which is all that is in place as of today.[/quote]
The Ukraine Family Scheme visas are emergency and were promised to be processed in the matter of hours. It is not what is actually happening on the ground.

There was no family schemes, emergency or nonemergency, for Ukrainians before the war.

Can you please link to any other information you have on this topic? I am not aware of any other routes. They declared they are working on a sponsorship route, but there has been zero information on that either.

DGRossetti · 08/03/2022 11:43

Yes, the government can’t do things on such short notice...it’s only been a week since invasion started.

Pull the other one. The government can move mountains when it wants too. Look how quickly they (retrospectively) changed the law when welfare to work was found illegal. For example.

Besides the invasions started two weeks ago. Not quite sure where your "facts" come from.

forinborin · 08/03/2022 11:46

I ask because with utilities and food price hikes, I'd worry they would struggle to survive here! I know it's safety etc but to build a new life here. Our Ukrainian refugees will be mainly unable to work ( as lone mother and children, no childcare etc)
This is a very Western view. Lone mothers with children in Ukraine do work, otherwise they simply don't eat - there's simply no option for them to stay at home and rely on welfare. I am sure they will work in the UK too.

girlmom21 · 08/03/2022 11:49

@forinborin

I ask because with utilities and food price hikes, I'd worry they would struggle to survive here! I know it's safety etc but to build a new life here. Our Ukrainian refugees will be mainly unable to work ( as lone mother and children, no childcare etc) This is a very Western view. Lone mothers with children in Ukraine do work, otherwise they simply don't eat - there's simply no option for them to stay at home and rely on welfare. I am sure they will work in the UK too.
Are we automatically enrolling children into schools? Are the government making school or pre school childcare spaces available? Because if they're not they simply can't work.
LizDoingTheCanCan · 08/03/2022 11:50

@MorningStarling Your words are like something from a fascist playbook. I'm not quoting you because you don't deserve the airtime. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Icemast · 08/03/2022 11:51

@Alltheprettyseahorses

We should certainly be open to any Ukrainian refugee who wants to come but I doubt there will be many. Think how you'd feel, you'd want to stay close to home and get back as soon as possible. Your life is there, family, neighbours, friends. Of course the people who are in Poland didn't have to sort visas, they just went over the border to the nearest place of safety. Visas are for forward planning which is what coming to the UK means.
Yes i don't know why people who hate this country assume so many people would want to come here, although of course they should sort of family members coming over. I think it's disingenuous to assume this is the entirety of how we have supported ukraine though. We have had troops over there for years helping with training and building a modern military and supplying modern equipment they wouldn't have access to. The investment made was before this kicked off of course but in case this became a reality- I think giving the tools to defend themselves has been a great thing. Not claiming we are to thank for their bravery etc before anyone pipes up, but of course its had a positive impact.
SwimmingOnEggshells · 08/03/2022 11:53

It's absolutely shameful how the UK government are behaving, but unfortunately it doesn't surprise me.

discombob · 08/03/2022 11:54

@Crankley

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?
So if someone is against child abuse, they HAVE to have taken in foster children or adopted. And let's not stop at one, you have to taken in as many as possible- otherwise your opinion is void.

Taking in people is not a measure of anything, financial help and item donations are good.

HereComesSpringAgain · 08/03/2022 11:55

@forinborin

I ask because with utilities and food price hikes, I'd worry they would struggle to survive here! I know it's safety etc but to build a new life here. Our Ukrainian refugees will be mainly unable to work ( as lone mother and children, no childcare etc) This is a very Western view. Lone mothers with children in Ukraine do work, otherwise they simply don't eat - there's simply no option for them to stay at home and rely on welfare. I am sure they will work in the UK too.
Not with no support network! Who will care for their children if housed away from anyone they know?
HereComesSpringAgain · 08/03/2022 11:56

Also, I assume these visas do allow these refugees to work here?

discombob · 08/03/2022 11:56

I suppose at least she isn't moaning about us all being racist for (allegedly) preferring Ukraine people to people from Syria/Afghanistan like a few posters on a couple of other threads (that I have now hidden because they were infuriating.) That's something to be grateful for. Wink

Preferring some refugees over others is a little bit racist. Why do you prefer Ukrainians over Syrians or Afghans may I ask?

forinborin · 08/03/2022 11:59

Are we automatically enrolling children into schools? Are the government making school or pre school childcare spaces available? Because if they're not they simply can't work.
Why not? Note the discussion is about people who are already coming to join family, there's no general refugee scheme open at the moment. Ukrainian families are usually very close-knit (and their families settled in the UK are also more likely to be highly qualified / high earners), it would be very unusual for a woman to rely on the generosity of strangers or the government rather than her own family. And why do you think childcare places need to be provided by the government, and not just paid by the woman? Last two people who I helped with the documentation and admin were a database architect and a vet, it is unlikely that they will just sit on their arses and wait for handouts or for someone to address their needs, no matter what country they end up in.

MissyB1 · 08/03/2022 12:00

Christ some of the replies on here are utterly shameful and totally depressing. Mind you I suppose the Brexit vote told us everything we needed to know about what kind of a place Britain is turning into.