Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Record View

Home Office should cut the red tape and let Ukrainian boy into Scotland

Priti Patel and the Home Office have made grand statements about the UK’s open borders amid the outrages of the Ukraine conflict.

But the reality is something quite different.

As usual, Britain is one of the most closed nations when it comes to allowing stricken refugees a place to retreat from the horrors of war.

The Daily Record’s revelations about the door being shut on nine-year-old Ukrainian Yuri are hard to believe.

His great aunt, Marie Kuzbyt, has spent endless hours navigating the visa system to get Yuri, his mum Natalia, sister Victoria and gran Sofia visas that can get them to her home in Ayrshire.

Marie is desperate to bring her family to Scotland – and it’s clear that thousands of Scots would love to do their bit.

But the whole process has been stymied because Yuri’s visa, which was approved, simply never arrived.

In a time of peace, this would be frustrating enough.

But this family are currently in the firing line of Russian missiles that are shaking the foundations of their home.

Home Office delays and bungles are risking their very lives.

In what other country would a family be denied asylum from a cruel war because of an email glitch?

In what nation would the fear of a wrongly issued visa outweigh the chances of a child making it to safety?

The visa for Yuri should be immediately reissued – today.

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.