Prime Minister Boris Johnson during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons
(Picture: PA Media)Boris Johnson was urged on Wednesday by a senior Tory to “take control of a more humane approach” than the Government has so far offered to the Ukrainian refugee crisis.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, former Chief Whip Julian Smith called on Mr Johnson to change the “tone” and “bureaucracy” of the Government’s response to date.
He praised Mr Johnson’s overall response to the crisis but stressed: “People across the country are genuinely concerned on our response on refugees, on the bureaucracy, on the tone of our response.
“He’s shown with vaccines that Government change really comes from the very top.
“Please can I urge him to look again on resetting our policy and taking control of a more humane approach.”
Mr Smith’s words will almost certainly be seen by some MPs as veiled criticism of Home Secretary Priti Patel.
Mr Johnson’s defended the Government’s record.
He stressed: “This Government is unlike any other in our understanding of what refugees can give and the benefits to this country.
“We have done more than any other to resettle vulnerable people since 2015. There is a huge opportunity now for us to do even more. “
He added that Cabinet minister Michael Gove would be setting out how individuals and organisations could sponsor Ukrainian refugees to come to Britain.
He later also emphasised that it is important to have checks rather than “waving people through” to come into the country.
