Council vows to support refugees
West Lothian Council has agreed to do “everything we can” to support refugees fleeing the war in the Ukraine.
The agreement came as it emerged a Ukrainian family who had struggled to get a visa was flying into Edinburgh and would be given help and a home in the area.
Communities across the county have also rallied to raise funds and supplies for the millions of people who have found their lives destroyed by Russia’s invasion.
It was reported that Olena Hutchison was ready to give her sister Nataliia Polushvaiko, niece Daryna and nephew, Aretmiy, sanctuary at home in East Calder but a delay in processing their visa applications saw them stuck “in limbo” in Poland.
During an ill-tempered debate over how West Lothian Council should respond to the war, Councillor Tom Ullathorne said local MP Hannah Bardell had been working tirelessly to secure visas for the family.
And he urged the council: “We need to be doing everything we can to support Ukrainians in this country. Let’s put ourselves forward.”
After the meeting of the full council, East Calder’s Councillor Ullathorne said: “On seeing the story I got in touch with local MP Hannah Bardell as she was the best person locally to be able to secure a visa. Hannah was able to achieve this today hence my statement in the meeting. I have asked what we can do as local councillors to support this family.”
Labour group leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick’s initial motion was accepted by the opposition SNP group.
It called on the chief executive to “write to the Russian Ambassador to the UK to state the council’s abhorrence at his country’s wholly unjustified actions.”
At last Tuesday’s council meeting, SNP group leader Councillor Janet Campbell raised an addendum to the motion which called on the council to write to the Prime Minister, to order the Conservative party “return at once the millions of pounds donated to it by wealthy Russian Oligarchs as a means to enjoy privileged access.”
Councillor Campbell said the addendum was to “strengthen the original motion and unify the council.”
The addendum also criticised the actions of the Home Secretary calling on her to waive visa restrictions. It called on the council to support the super sponsor programmes being introduced in Scotland and Wales.
Labour refused to combine those words with its own motion and the SNP had to table it as an amendment.
Councillor Willie Boyle called on Councillor Fitzpatrick to allow Labour members to have a free vote on a combined motion saying what was at stake was “far too serious for a slanging match.”
Tory group leader Damian Doran-Timson criticised the SNP for politicising the debate on the war.
A succession of SNP councillors lined up to stress that they accepted the wording of the Labour motion, but the council needed to do more.
SNP councillor Moira Shemilt said: “We need to find a way we can accept Ukrainian people with open arms. I think Lawrence, you were bang on when you wrote the first motion. Let’s find a way of doing something. It’s not good enough to just virtue- signal.”
Debate became increasingly tetchy. At one point Provost Tom
Kerr - chairing his last meeting of the full council - had to step in, warning Councillor Shemilt for shouting over Councillor Tom Conn who had criticised the wording of the SNP amendment, and saying: “You are entitled to raise a point of order. If you carry on [shouting] you are going to get muted or kicked out of the meeting.”
The provost told the meeting he had not had to exclude anyone in all the meetings he had chaired as provost and did not want to start on his last.
Tory councillor, Peter Heggie, suggested the three group leaders and the independent councillor meet to hammer a message that all could agree on.
Provost Kerr said: “I admire your proposal. This has become far far too politicised.”
The meeting was adjourned for almost an hour until a composite motion was agreed, excluding remarks about Russian funding for the Conservative party but including SNP demands for support of the super sponsor programme and to welcome Ukrainians to West Lothian.
A report on the support available to Ukrainian refugees in West Lothian was also agreed.
At the start of the meeting Provost Kerr thanked all organisations and individuals in West Lothian for their efforts in raising money and supplies for Ukraine.