Ukraine: Three in four back giving refuge to those fleeing war as ministers ‘misread public mood’ on asylum system

Three in four Britons back giving refuge to those fleeing war or persecution, new polling shows, as criticism of the government’s response to the Ukraine crisis continues.

An Ipsos survey found that even before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a majority of Brits thought people should be able to seek refuge in the UK and the majority had sympathy for asylum seekers crossing the Channel.

The results come as The Independent’s Refugees Welcome appeal was set to pass 200,000 signatures. The petition was created to add pressure on the UK Government to act and provide a safe haven for refugees to ensure we take in Ukrainians who want to find safety. You can add your support here.

On Sunday charities and opposition parties voiced fears that the government’s new sponsorship route – which will give Britons who provide homes to Ukrainian refugees £350 per month – would be “slow and cumbersome”.

Cabinet minister Michael Gove said he hoped “tens of thousands” would be able to come via the route, and announced that local authority areas will be entitled to more than £10,000 per Ukrainian refugee in their area.

But there were questions over whether those arriving through the scheme would be given refugee status, or access to certain benefits and support, and the safeguards in place over who can sponsor people and how Ukrainians are selected.

The government previously created a bespoke “family scheme” that offers three-year visas but does not amount to a grant of asylum.

Experts said the government had “misread the public mood”, as the war sparks wider questions over the UK’s asylum system.

A wide-ranging survey by Ipsos and the British Future think tank, which was carried out weeks before Russian forces invaded Ukraine, showed that attitudes towards immigration and asylum have warmed significantly since the 2016 EU referendum.

Only 16 per cent of Brits disagreed that people “should be able to take refuge in other countries, including in Britain, to escape from war or persecution”.

Less than a third of people agreed with the statement that “it is important to have an asylum system that deters people from seeking asylum in the UK” while 46 per cent would rather have a fair asylum system “even if that means allowing more asylum seekers to stay and live in the UK than we do now”.

When asked about small boat crossings in the English Channel, 56 per cent of those surveyed said they had sympathy for people making the journeys, while 39 per cent said they had little or no sympathy.

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Mr Gove said he expects the first Ukrainian refugees making use of the government’s new sponsorship route to come to the UK “in a week’s time”.

The levelling up minister said he hoped individuals and community groups would use social media to connect with refugees, adding that charities would help in the “matching” process.

Labour cautioned that “too many questions remain unanswered” about the new scheme. “We’re asking people to take to social media at a time they’re fleeing a war zone. This is a serious crisis – it’s not an online dating situation,” shadow levelling up minister Lisa Nandy told LBC.

The Independent is raising money for the people of Ukraine – if you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page.

Sunder Katwala, the director of British Future, said: “The government clearly misread the public mood about Ukrainian refugees and is now playing catch-up to make the generous offer of sanctuary that people feel is right ... underlying attitudes to immigration are becoming more positive over time.”

The survey showed that the number of British people wanting general immigration reduced was at its lowest level for seven years, while a greater proportion of people said it has had a positive effect on Britain.

The research involved interviewing 3,206 British adults online between 28 January and 10 February 2022, with findings weighted to reflect the population profile.

Gideon Skinner, the research director at Ipsos, said: “We know that Britons are supportive of making it easier for Ukrainian refugees to come to the UK, but this research shows this is part of a long-term belief in the principle of giving refuge to people fleeing war and persecution.

The next stage of the research, which will be published in six months’ time, will show what impact the Ukraine war has had on attitudes.

Polling also showed that less than a third of British people want to deter asylum seekers, as controversial new laws are to be debated in parliament.

A bill being considered by the House of Lords on Monday seeks to criminalise all refugees arriving in Britain “without permission” and see them deported abroad, or possibly held in offshore processing centres.

The Nationality and Borders Bill has been hailed by the government as the “cornerstone” of its immigration plans, and names one of its key priorities as “deterring illegal entry into the UK”.

The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered.

To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here. To sign the petition click here. If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page.