The UK should mirror the EU policy on Ukrainian refugees – Labour must say so

Being forced to leave your home in pursuit of peace is the hardest decision a person can make. I know this from my parents’ own experience as refugees, fleeing from war-torn Somalia to the UK. The stories they tell, the horrors they experienced and the fear that they may never see their homeland again form part of my earliest memories. They’re also the reason I care so deeply and empathise so much when hearing the stories of millions of innocent Ukrainian civilians fleeing their homeland in search of peace.

As we witness the horrors unfold, the UK has a responsibility to extend our generosity and open our borders to those fleeing. Many of those leaving are vulnerable and tormented by the impact of Russia’s invasion. Countries like Poland, Romania and Moldova have taken swift action in supporting refugees, opening their doors to the more than three million displaced.

Meanwhile, the UK government has been slow in welcoming refugees, with families queuing up in Calais only to be redirected to Paris and Brussels. This is a mismanaged disgrace, which has led to the UK being called out internationally. The UK has gained a reputation for being heartless due to such low numbers of refugees being able to travel here and difficult visa procedures making it undesirable compared to other countries. But the British people are calling out to help, with more than 150,000 having expressed interest in offering their homes to Ukrainians. People in the UK are able and willing to open their doors and support those fleeing, yet our government’s lack of preparedness and attitude towards refugees has left them waiting, unable to do so.

As a party, we need to apply pressure on the government to expand its policy on refugees and mirror the actions of the EU to allow any refugee from Ukraine to safely arrive in the UK. The visa process needs to be simple, and we should not be cherry-picking which refugees are allowed to come. As a volunteer at the Refugee Community Kitchen in London, I have spoken and met with refugees fleeing from atrocities across the world. Just because someone doesn’t have a degree or qualification, it doesn’t make them any less worthy of living a life free of terror and turmoil. It also doesn’t make them unable to contribute positively to life in the UK. With the people of Ukraine desperately in need, every second matters. We are currently on the wrong side of history.

Political parties have been united in condemning the awful aggression of Vladimir Putin, and our leadership has quite rightly made clear that there is no place in the Labour Party for Putin apologists or conspiracies about NATO. Labour must continue to reiterate this message and our unwavering support for Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have shown tremendous resilience, far greater than that expected by Putin. Despite what our Prime Minister might think, there is no comparison between the divisive Brexit vote in the UK and the courage shown by those Ukrainians fighting for their freedom and seeing their homeland destroyed. Their courage and the sacrifices they are making deserve every ounce of support we can give. With Ukraine citing a desire to join the EU and NATO, the Prime Minister’s lazy comparison also spreads false narratives about the war that could be dangerous to those working hard to resolve the conflict.

Our country’s support in artillery is helping Ukraine thwart the advancement of the Russian invaders. We have supported NATO and the G7 in arming Ukraine to defend its borders, but more needs to be done to sanction Putin’s cronies and rid our politics of their influence. Whilst China is still sitting on the fence, Putin is twisting the narrative that the war is just and necessary. The UK government needs to show strength in standing up and putting pressure on those supporting the aggressors.

In recent conflicts, from Syria to Afghanistan, the UK has failed to do the right thing by refugees. It is not too late to do right by the Ukrainians.