Tory Ukraine Visa Shambles

After the Government of alleged Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson was caught being less than totally welcoming to those fleeing the increasingly bloody fighting in Ukraine, Benidorm Holiday Rep Home Secretary Priti Patel and her minions needed to read the room. What would a sensible Government have done on the visa question? What would a compassionate Home Secretary have done? What would Nietzsche have done?

Unfortunately, neither Bozo, nor Ms Patel, operates at that intellectual level, and so the latter took one look at the criticism coming from shadow foreign secretary David Lammy and declared it to be untrue. “Appalling misinformation at a time of international crisis”.

She helpfully provided a link. Lammy followed it. And, er, “Your own link proves you wrong. Ukrainians without family ties to the UK have to get to a nearby country and go through a normal route. And even people applying under the close family route still have to meet conditions including on salaries and language”. He was not alone in his criticism.

Luke Pollard, who represents Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, had been told by Ms Patel his assertion that the HO was still following normal visa restrictions was “simply untrue”. He was equally unimpressed. “Sorry, but that’s not correct. I’m looking for a route for people fleeing Ukraine who might not have a family link in the UK. We have a moral obligation to help them. Will you now change policy to do exactly that?”

And then came Bozo. "Of course we are going to take refugees. This country has had a historic and proud role of taking refugees from all conflict … I am aware that there is some fake news on the internet about that and I really want to knock that on the head. The UK is way out in front in our willingness to help with refugees. we have sent 1000 troops to the theatre to help with the refugees”. Lying his way out of a corner, and not making sense.

Sadly for Bozo and Ms Patel, the real world intervened, with Wilson Solicitors confirming “Sorry to report that [UK Home Office] is refusing entry to Ukrainians at Paris Gare du Nord seeking to join family in UK because they don’t have a visa. And not being helped to apply for a visa. If there even is one”. Then came Ms Patel’s Gofer Kevin Foster.

He told Pollard “As you will be well aware there are a number of routes, not least our seasonal worker scheme you will recall from your shadow DEFRA days, which Ukrainians can qualify for, alongside the family route for those with relatives here”. Yes, all was solved - refugees could get visas, providing they waited until summer and then picked fruit!

This went down rather less well than the proverbial cup of cold sick, with Paul Waugh of the i Paper musing “I suspect that 'UK Immigration Minister says Ukrainians fleeing war may be asked to pick fruit to gain entry to UK' is such a bad look that it may not survive this weekend”. This was an understatement: the Tweet did not last the night.

Ireland has opened its borders to those escaping the conflict in Ukraine. The UK has not. The UK used to look on that country as a poor relation. But now, whether you compare Net average monthly salary, Gross average monthly salary, or Net average salary adjusted for cost of living, Ireland comes out significantly above the UK. Better off than us.

It’s as if EU membership and a sensible immigration policy were A Good Thing. Well, well.

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