Ukraine: Refugees

Lord Skidelsky Excerpts

Tuesday 8th March 2022 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hannan of Kingsclere (Con)]

Is it not clear from listening to interventions from all around the Chamber that—

[Lord Skidelsky (CB)]

My Lords, in addition to the help that the Government are giving to Ukrainians to come to this country, will they consider offering humanitarian visas to those brave Russians—members of the clergy, members of civil society, academics, journalists and ordinary citizens—who face long prison sentences for exercising their democratic right to oppose this war?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)]

I am very glad that the noble Lord asked that question because, at this point, we all need to stop and remember all of those Russian people who are so against, or do not even know, what is happening in Ukraine. I do not have many details of that, but it is certainly heartbreaking when you see Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine who appear not to know what they are doing and why they are doing it.