Brits and Ukrainian refugees face UK’s radical right policies at border

Britain has issued just 50 visas to Ukrainian refugees fleeing war after more than 10,000 applied for sanctuary, it has emerged, as the sluggish pace sparked a fresh row with France.

The Tory party, fearful of the radical right factions that brought Brexit and the elimination of public health Covid-19 restrictions continue to drive their ideology – even in the face of people running from Putin’s death machine.

Among those caught up in the stymied programme are David Carter, a British citizen, his Ukrainian wife and two children, who were denied permission to board a ferry from Calais to Dover.

Mr Carter accused the government of “disgusting” treatment of citizens and refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine and is now stuck in a hotel in the French port city

The French interior minister, Gerald Darmanin on Sunday hit out at the British government, saying it was “inhumane” to turn away refugees if they did not have visas.

Priti Patel hit back, saying it is “wrong to say that we are turning people back, we are not”. 

The refugee exodus has sparked the latest in a series of disputes between Paris and London, months after the two sides clashed over the drowning of 27 migrants in the English Channel.

Mr Carter and his family, who had been living in eastern Ukraine, endured a harrowing journey to safety which saw them come under fire and witness “horrible scenes”.

After making a dash for the border with Moldova they were forced to scrap their escape route when their car came under fire.

“Unfortunately, shots were fired at the border. We turned around as quickly as we could in the car and we headed then up towards Lviv,” he told Sky News. After travelling to Belgium, authorities appeared clueless on any arrangement with the UK to allow them to continue their journey.

This is the face of the British government at a time of human desperation. Heartless and lacking compassion, the government has lost every element of what might be construed as a moral compass.

“The French people let me through… but then you come to the UK border in Calais and they said ‘I’m sorry you can’t get on a ferry, we will escort you back up to the office,’” he said.

“A British citizen living out of a bag, with little amount of clothes with his wife and two children – and the UK government have no remorse.

“The lack of care towards a British citizen and fleeing Ukrainians who are family members, is disgusting.”

 

 

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