Why The UK Government Should Be Doing More For Refugees
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine dates back decades, starting when Ukraine declared independence in 1991. The latest events are the climax of the conflict, with Russian President Vladimir Putin ordering a full-scale attack on Ukraine on the 24 February 2022.
On the fiftieth day of the conflict, Russia state TV announced that ‘World War 3 has started’. Russia has faced backlash across the globe as countries side with Ukraine.
An IPSOS Mori survey from 22 April shows that 74 per cent of 19,000 voters, on average across 27 countries, think that their country should be taking in Ukrainian refugees from the current conflict.
The UK Government has implemented several schemes and are encouraging the public to donate money and supplies, if possible, to aid Ukrainian refugees, but how much are they helping?
‘Homes for Ukraine’ is one scheme put in place, and on 14 March, Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, launched a webpage for sponsors to show their interest. Charities, businesses, community groups and individuals can help bring a Ukrainian refugee into the UK, even if they have no family ties here.
The first phase of this scheme allows sponsors in the UK to nominate a Ukrainian individual or family to stay with them, either in their own property or a separate one.
It will be rent free for a minimum of six months for the refugee(s), and the individual sponsors will be given £350 per month to provide a room or property.
However, there are flaws with this scheme, such as when the six months are over what happens next?
And how secure are the safety and background checks on the sponsors with concerns being raised about abusive men looking to ‘shelter’ women refugees?
There are unanswered questions, and for refugees fleeing a warzone the last thing they need is to be housed by an abuser, or to worry about finding a home and a job in only six months.
Some refugees are waiting more than a month on their visas to be approved, causing worry for themselves and concern for some families sponsoring them, hoping that they are okay.
Home Secretary, Priti Patel, apologised for these delays, explaining that a new system will take time.
Unfortunately, fleeing families, some forced to sleep out in the cold in Poland until their visa is approved, cannot do much with an apology – they need action.
As of 6 May, 125,100 Ukraine scheme visa applications have been received, with the Ukraine Family Scheme and Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme receiving 44,200 and 80,900 applications respectively.
95,500 of those applications have had a visa issued, however, only 37,400 visa-holders have arrived in the UK.
This wouldn’t be the first time that the government have appeared negligent in cases of refugees and immigration, with the Rwandan scheme serving as a recent example.
The scheme was announced on 14 April and is a partnership between Rwanda and the UK. T
The UK will send any undocumented immigrants who have arrived in Britain since 1 January 2022 to Rwanda to have their asylum claims processed.
The scheme is designed to fight the increased influence and control of illegal trafficking gangs, hoping to deter people from trying to cross the English Channel, as it is a treacherous, life-risking journey.
However, this scheme came under fire from critics, as many described it as inhumane.
The UN’s refugee agency, United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) spoke out against the scheme, along with some Conservative MPs.
One of the many problems with the scheme is that many of the immigrants coming into the UK are from Iraq, Iran, and Syria.
Rwanda is very culturally different, in the sense that it is of predominantly Christian tradition, and holds different values, so those who are sent for processing would find such another big change incredibly challenging.
Rwanda is not the safest country regarding human rights as a report from the US Department of State highlighted: “Significant human rights issues included credible reports of unlawful or arbitrary killings by the government; forced disappearance by the government; torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by the government; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions.”
In response to critics, Priti Patel she said that it was “surprising that those institutions that criticise the plans fail to offer their own solutions.”
Brexit has also thrown a spanner in the works for immigrants.
Those looking to come into the UK for work or to live from Europe will now need to apply for a visa, as of January 2021.
As for undocumented immigrants, new rules are in place as post-Brexit rules introduced by the Home Office are stopping people who have come over from a ‘safe’ third country with those who are deemed ‘inadmissible’ to be removed.
People are risking their lives sailing across the Chanel in dinghies, only to be sent back once they reach Britain.
The government hopes that the Rwanda scheme will deter those looking to enter Britain illegally.
However, of the 25,000 that crossed the water from France in 2021, only five of them were returned.
Despite the government’s best efforts, their plan at deterring immigrants isn’t working and neither is the one to stop them from staying in the UK.
The government needs to have a safer route for refugees and immigrants to come into the country, and for Ukraine, they need to do more.
Schemes which leave refugees in danger or fearing for their future after leaving their country, their homes and sometimes even their families are unfair, and the refugees are undeserving of such poor treatment.
From a government that say they want to help by launching these schemes, and advertising where people can donate to those in need, they sure aren’t doing much about the follow-up.
What will happen when a family lands in the hands of someone with ill-will? Or when the six months are up, and their sponsor family can’t afford to keep them?
Help and rehabilitation centres would be a useful idea, helping refugees get on their feet and not suffer alone.
And that is just for those who have made it into the UK.
What about the thousands that still haven’t arrived; sponsor families seem more concerned about the wellbeing of refugees than the government does.
Thankfully, where the government fails, the British public steps in.
With so many families and individuals doing as much as they can, from donating to sponsoring a refugee, there is still hope out there.