How many Ukranian refugees per 100,000 of the population have been welcomed to the UK compared with other European countries?

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varian

Our relatively poor performance in offering hospitality to Ukranian refugees, as in so many other areas where the UK performs poorly is NOT a criticism of our country nor our people - it is an indictment of our appalling Tory government.

I think you will find the Ukrainian people are very grateful of our appalling Tory government

So you're just making a political statement?

Our relatively poor performance in offering hospitality to Ukranian refugees, as in so many other areas where the UK performs poorly is NOT a criticism of our country nor our people - it is an indictment of our appalling Tory government.

Well said Sparklfizz. And as one of the major supporters of Ukraine in terms of supplying training and weapons, sanctions and support I think we should be proud of ourselves. Perhaps we could do better offering to host refugees but if you haven’t taken any in then you can’t complain!

Other countries have been so much more welcoming, for instance Austria has taken about 40 times as many Ukranians per head of population as UK and Austrian railways allows Ukranians to travel anywhere in the country free of charge

I hate the way people on GN are frequently running down the UK. Before criticising, it would be better to compare like with like. The density of Austria's population is 109 per sq.Km. The UK's is 281 per sq.Km. so for a start we are much more crowded.

Secondly, our trains aren't even running so how can we offer free travel to Ukrainians?

"The prime minister clings to Ukraine since this is his one tangible success, although never forget that he previously pandered to Kremlin propaganda by blaming the European Union for Russia’s 2014 attack and then failed to tackle the tide of dirty money laundered in Britain by Vladimir Putin’s pals."

Ian Birrell writing in the "i"

inews.co.uk/opinion/boris-johnsons-delusional-hope-for-political-comeback-right-out-of-donald-trump-playbook-1759147

The fact that we have done so poorly compared with other countries is not a criticism of the many generous Brits who signed up to offer hospitality.

The government, though, seemed to have created a scheme "designed to fail". The collossal beaurocracy of the visa application process, the poor provision of visa application offices, the nonsense of having to security check a ten month old baby and the lack of funding for Local Authorities carrying out checks and any kind of ongoing support.

Other countries have been so much more welcoming, for instance Austria has taken about 40 times as many Ukranians per head of population as UK and Austrian railways allows Ukranians to travel anywhere in the country free of charge.

I didn’t realise it was a competition. No doubt many Ukrainians would feel more comfortable in mainland Europe, nearer their families.

Dd1 knows of at least 2 families who’ve been taken in locally, in Oxford. One of those hosts is a single woman in a 3 bed house, the other has a spacious annexe.

A niece of dh with 3 children of her own has taken in a mother with 3 children, but she has an enormous house - she still has at least one spare room.

I would guess that many people simply don’t have the space. We already have a shortage of affordable, adequate accommodation in this country and a good many families with children are already in considerably smaller housing than they’d like.

Out of interest, have you offered to host, Varian?

We did offer one bedroom for a couple or mother with a small child - a king size bed but no room for another - but no bites so far, and if I’m brutally honest, it’s a relief. We have no separate living area to offer and I think I wouldn’t cope well with anyone else around almost indefinitely.

My intensely sociable dd1, OTOH, would be fine with it, but with 3 children of her own she just doesn’t have anything but limited space to offer - but she has offered that - again with no takers.

The feeling seems to be growing, whether it is true or not, that we are a little island and we are full up, being an island has always made us different to our near neighbours. I guess the present economics may be stopping many people offering help as they wonder if they can sort themselves out let alone other people. Where the idea came from that the British welcome all comers I don't know we always seem very insular to me, some large proportion of the country don't know their next door neighbours apparently.

Not everyone has the space, I suppose, and it's a big disruption putting strangers up.

Hundreds of these placements have already broken down, leaving these refugees homeless, and in hotels.

www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/16/hundreds-of-ukrainian-refugees-left-homeless-in-england-data-shows

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10927813/At-660-Ukrainian-families-left-homeless-Britain-placements-broke-down.html

This is the same old chestnut Varian.
Basically we are a very mean and unwelcoming country in my opinion.
I'm not talking about individual men and women - but as a country.

Not worth talking about because too many people just won't believe it.