MP says UK must do more to help Olga
An MP trying to support her constituent evacuate their family from the frontline in Ukraine has become frustrated by ‘shameful’visa rules.
Dr Philippa Whitford MP for Central Ayrshire has been trying to support Ukrainian born mum-of-two Olga (Drover) Grechukha whose parents are cowering in terror from a Russian siege in their home city.
The SNP politician has criticised the UK Government for demanding that visas are required for Ukrainians fleeing their war-torn country.
It comes after the Post reported last week how Olga’s mum and dad are trapped in the city of Mauripol.
Olga, who lives in Troon, revealed how she is desperate for her mum Olga, 64, and dad Yuri, 63, to be brought to the UK and was unable to gain them a safe passage out.
Dr Whitford said: “It is shameful that, when other countries are welcoming Ukrainian refugees with open arms and generous support, the UK Government is still demanding people fleeing for their lives must get a visa first. Expecting people in the middle of a war zone to jump through hoops is ridiculous and I have seen how the difficulty in obtaining a visa has added to Olga’s (my constituent’s) stress and worry about her mother. Surely the UK could be more generous than this.”
A UK Government spokesperson said: “We are standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainians which is why we’ve made it easier for those with Ukrainian passports to come here. This is alongside changes to visas to ensure Ukrainians in the UK can stay here.
“We have expanded our visa application capacity to 13,000 a week, deployed additional staff across the EU, with a 24/7 helpline in place to ensure those who need appointments can get them to come here. This allows us to balance security risks while welcoming those in need.
“A new sponsorship route, which will allow Ukrainians with no family ties to the UK to be sponsored to come here, is also being brought forward and all the measures we’ve put in place follow extensive engagement with Ukrainian partners. We will keep our support under constant review.”