Scotland and Wales willing to be ‘super sponsors’ for refugees
NICOLA Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford have said both Scotland and Wales are willing to become “super sponsors” for Ukrainian refugees.
The UK Government is set to launch a scheme where individuals and organisations can sponsor refugees to come into the country, but the Scottish and Welsh first ministers told Michael Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, they wanted to “maximise” their contribution and act as “super sponsors”.
In a letter to Mr Gove, they also renewed their calls on Westminster to waive all visa requirements for Ukrainian nationals trying to get into the UK. Ms Sturgeon said she wanted Scotland to play its “full part in welcoming Ukrainians seeking sanctuary from war” and criticised the UK response as one “beset with bureaucracy and red tape”.
The governments in Holyrood and Cardiff said super sponsorship would enable Ukrainians to get clearance to enter each country quickly and be housed temporarily while they work with local partners to provide longer term accommodation, safeguarding, and access to services.
The Scottish First Minister said: “We are still awaiting full details of the proposed community sponsorship scheme. If the UK Government is still unwilling to waive visa requirements, it is essential that this scheme works efficiently and effectively, and allows people to come to the UK as quickly as possible. “However, I am very worried that if people have to be matched with an individual sponsor before even being allowed entry to the UK, it will prove slow and cumbersome.” In the first wave, the first ministers said Scotland would expect to take in 3,000 and Wales 1,000. Under the plans more would be welcomed in later waves.
It comes after the UK Government was condemned by French president Emmanuel Macron for failing to live up to its “grand statements” on helping Ukrainian refugees.
Mr Macron reportedly criticised Britain’s visa policy which required applicants to make them in person in Brussels or Paris.
According to The Guardian, he said this further exacerbated circumstances for those fleeing the war. He added: “Despite all the grand statements ... the British Government continued to apply current rules that meant they did not welcome Ukrainian refugees who wanted to reach British soil saying they have to travel hundreds of kilometres in order to apply for a visa.”