The government has been criticised for being slow to react to the Ukrainian refugee crisis. But, in our view, while the response may have been cautious, it has also been appropriately generous. Accusing the UK of taking in fewer refugees than countries bordering Ukraine (as the former Danish PM did on BBC Question Time last week) is absurd. Migration Watch UK is wholly in favour of the government doing everything possible to help the mainly women and children fleeing Putin’s bloody and barbaric onslaught of their country. The generosity of the British people and willingness to open up their homes to thousands of people has been as welcome as it was to be expected. If there was ever a time when our system of refugee protection needed to be working properly, this is it. The fact that asylum abuse is rife, taking up resources that could be used for those in genuine need, is utterly outrageous.
Sadly, in the midst of this crisis illegal Channel crossings have got going again with almost 1,500 people crossing in boats this month already and nearly 3,000 crossing this year so far. We are, once again, at record levels, even compared to last year which saw 28,526 people cross illegally in this way. Please see our Tracking Station to stay up to date. And don’t forget to sign our petition to challenge the government’s decision to stop issuing daily Channel numbers.
Blog of the week
Helping Ukrainian Refugees Fleeing Russian Invasion
On 9 March, we wrote a blog on what had unfolded since the invasion of Ukraine started on 24 February. What has happened in just over a week since we wrote the blog is quite astonishing. Read our full blog here.
Migration Watch in the news
Our Chairman Alp Mehmet has been quoted in the national press again this week. See below:
Express: Britons paid £350 a month for providing a room to Ukrainian refugees
‘It’s good that the government seems finally to be getting its act together with helping those fleeing Putin’s barbaric onslaught. If there was ever a time when our system of refugee protection needed to be working properly, this is it.’
And see below for some other reactions to this week’s events:
Telegraph: Businesses rush to find thousands of Ukrainian refugees jobs in the UK
‘Let’s hope that unscrupulous employers don’t target vulnerable and desperate refugees as a source of cheap labour, to be exploited at will.’
‘This is scandalous. While we rightly focus on genuine refugees fleeing Ukraine, the government must not be allowed to bury the record numbers hitting our shores. Failing to deal with illegal immigration makes it so much more difficult to help those in genuine need.’
Make your voice heard
While the tragedy in Ukraine, the unfolding refugee crisis and our response to it dominate the headlines, control of our borders becomes ever more precarious. As we have said repeatedly, without proper control and increasing asylum abuse, the resources available to help those in genuine need dwindle and stretch. We’ve seen limits and skills thresholds on work visas being thrown away, exposing many British jobs to worldwide competition. If you care about border control, please do write to your MP.