refugees – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

10Apr 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Homes for Ukraine: Only 1,200 refugees allowed into UK

Responding to the first Home Office figures on arrivals of Ukrainian refugees to the UK, which reveal that just 1,200 people - less than 3% of those who’ve applied - have arrived under the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey MP said: “Tens of thousands of British families have offered to open their homes to Ukrainian refugees, but the Government is squandering their amazing generosity with needless bureaucracy and delays. “It is appalling that such a tiny number of refugees have been allowed into the UK, more than a month after the Home Secretary announced this scheme. This is a humanitarian emergency, but Priti Patel is putting paperwork before people. “The Government must match the compassion shown by the British public and allow Ukrainian refugees…

01Apr 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Homes for Ukraine: Thousands left in limbo by slow and chaotic Conservative response

Parliamentary news

Responding to new statistics on the Homes for Ukraine scheme which show that less than 10% of applicants have had a visa granted, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: “More than 150,000 families are offering to welcome refugees into their homes, but the Conservatives are offering only red tape and delays. Their response has been appallingly slow and chaotic, leaving thousands of Ukrainians in limbo trying to get a visa. "Ministers need to work harder and faster to match the compassion shown by the British public. "Ukrainian refugees should be allowed to come to the UK now, without first having to apply for a visa. And the Government should set up a fast, ambitious resettlement scheme, working with refugee agencies to bring Ukrainians directly to the UK.”

22Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Nationality and Borders Bill: A traffickers’ charter that will cause deaths in the Channel

Parliamentary news

Following votes in the House of Commons on the Government’s Nationality and Borders Bill, where Conservative MPs voted to overturn cross-party amendments passed in the Lords, Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron said: “Priti Patel’s Anti-Refugee Bill is a traffickers’ charter. By voting for it, Conservative MPs have voted for deaths in the Channel. “Taking away any safe and legal route for refugees to reach the UK will only force them to take dangerous ones. “The real problem is entirely a structural one of incompetence in the Home Office, and this Bill will do nothing to fix it. It will only make it worse. “The UK has a glorious, centuries-old reputation as a place of sanctuary. We will not let that be sullied by this puny little Government.”

18Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Davey calls for emergency airlifts for Ukrainian refugees on Polish border

Parliamentary news

Ed Davey calls for emergency airlift to provide a safe and fast system to get Ukrainian refugees to security in the UKHe describes visit to Poland and Ukraine border and the lack of UK Government personnel on the ground in contrast to 19 other nationsHe praises the UK volunteers on the Polish border and the generosity of the British public who are offering their homes Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has called for an emergency airlift for Ukrainian refugees on the Polish border who want to reach the UK. In a letter to the Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary, Ed Davey has suggested the UK Government must now provide free flights to the UK, with coaches to the nearest Polish airports from key border crossing points and welcoming reception centres…

15Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Davey: Johnson must explain himself to Ukrainian refugees at Polish border

Parliamentary news

Speaking following his visit today to the border between Ukraine and Poland, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: “Over 100,000 people have signed up and said that they will offer sanctuary to Ukrainian people in the UK. That is something we should all be proud of. “It stands in direct contrast to the Conservative Government who have left people shivering at the border rather than helping find a way to safety. “I’d like Boris Johnson to come here and meet some of these people, look them in the eye, and tell them why his government has spent three weeks telling them they are not welcome in our country.”

15Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Homes for Ukraine: Refugees still trapped in bureaucratic limbo

Parliamentary news

Responding to the Government launching the “Homes for Ukraine” website for people to sponsor Ukrainian refugees, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said: “Families and communities across the UK have been crying out for the chance to sponsor refugees for years. It shouldn’t have taken weeks of appalling humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine for the Government to finally listen. “Even after the Government’s welcome U-turn and side-lining of Priti Patel from this scheme, the vast majority of Ukrainian refugees trying to get to the UK are still trapped in bureaucratic limbo, unable to come here. Michael Gove couldn’t even say when people will start to arrive under his new scheme. “Ministers should do what the British people are urging them to do now: allow Ukrainian refugees to come to the…

14Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Ministers losing track on Ukrainian refugee visa u-turns

Parliamentary news

Responding to Sajid Javid's confusion this morning over a family reunion route for Ukrainian refugees, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: "The Government has u-turned so many times over visas for Ukrainian refugees, it seems even its own Cabinet Ministers have lost track. "Three weeks on, it is unacceptable that the Home Office is still turning away desperate families fleeing Putin’s war, and snaring them in red tape at the border. It is shameful that even Ukrainians working in our NHS cannot bring family members to join them. "The Government must make one more u-turn, and allow any Ukrainian refugee to come to the UK without having to apply for a visa first."

14Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems adopt most ambitious policy on Ukrainian refugees of any major UK party

Parliamentary news

The Liberal Democrats have adopted the most ambitious policy towards Ukrainian refugees of any major UK political party, warning the government’s current approach is a “chaotic shambles.” The policy calls on the government to enable refugees from Ukraine to come to the UK without having to apply for a visa. The party’s Foreign Affairs spokesperson Layla Moran said even the government’s latest sponsor scheme would still force Ukrainian refugees to “jump through bureaucratic hoops” to come to the UK. It comes as Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey calls on Boris Johnson to sack Priti Patel over her mishandling of the Ukrainian refugee crisis, which has left families fleeing war struggling to get appointments and facing long delays to have their visa applications processed. Layla Moran MP, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs…

10Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Priti Patel still isn’t making it easy for Ukrainian refugees

Parliamentary news

In response to Priti Patel's announcement that Ukrainians will be able to apply for their visas online and then complete their biometric documents upon arrival in the UK, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: “It is shameful that the Home Secretary has to be dragged inch by inch towards a compassionate response to Ukrainian refugees fleeing Putin’s bombs. “Even after all the appalling images we have seen, Priti Patel is still limiting the scheme to those with close family in the UK, and forcing them to apply for a visa before they come here. That has to change. “The Government must listen to what people across the UK are saying: let Ukrainian refugees come here without having to apply for a visa beforehand, and welcome them with…

01Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government plans for “second-class refugees” defeated

Parliamentary news

https://twitter.com/brianpaddick/status/1498602606087884802 The Liberal Democrats have welcomed the defeat of a clause in the Government’s controversial Nationality and Borders Bill that would have created two classes of refugees. The party’s Home Affairs Spokesperson in the Lords, Brian Paddick, co-sponsored an amendment to remove Clause 11 from the Bill. The clause would have put refugees into “Group 2” if they come to the UK through other countries, giving them only a temporary right to stay in the UK and restricting their ability to sponsor close family members to join them. The amendment, which had cross-party support, was voted through tonight in the House of Lords by 204 votes to 126. Speaking after the vote, Lord Paddick said: “Priti Patel’s Anti-Refugee Bill would criminalise people simply for seeking asylum in the UK. That…

Tag: refugees