AS RESIDENTS are being urged to open their homes to Ukrainian refugees, the Daily Echo spoke to our MPs to find out if they would be doing the same.
Last week BCP Council opened a register for residents to join if they could offer suitable self-contained accommodation to residents fleeing the war in Ukraine.
Communities Secretary Michael Gove set out details of a new programme through which people in the UK can offer to host Ukrainian refugees in their homes.
Families will receive a thank you payment of £350 a month and be expected to commit to a minimum of six months of housing an individual or a group.
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Poole MP Sir Robert Syms, who welcomed the initiative, said: “Clearly that’s a sensible way to deal with the refugee crisis because not only do people get housed cheaper than the hotels but actually they end up with a British family or a British individual in a position to help them navigate their way around a change of circumstances.
However the Poole MP said he was not in a position to host anyone from Ukraine himself.
He said: “Most of my help will be in the form of constituency casework.
“Unfortunately I don’t have a spare bedroom otherwise I would be tempted to see whether or not I could practically help.”
Bournemouth East MP, Tobias Ellwood, said: “There is a massive urgency to get the machine in place so that Britain can do its part and it’s absolutely clear from the generosity of the British people, that millions of people would be willing to support this initiative.
“I’m looking to work with the council to make sure that people are signposted, if they do have accommodation that they can provide, that they are easily signposted on how they can get into the system and what support is available or provided.”
Mr Ellwood stressed that he will also be working with community group Bournemouth to Ukraine to ensure ongoing support is offered to all of those coming to the conurbation.
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MP Conor Burns said: “The Government is clear that we will help people if they want to take in refugees and they feel their own circumstances are appropriate for them to be able to do that. I am working with colleagues across Government in support of our response.
“And locally my team are working to answer requests for help from those with family and friends in Ukraine in need of assistance. Although the situation on the ground in Ukraine makes things incredibly difficult.”
The Daily Echo contacted MP Christopher Chope and MP Michael Tomlinson for their comments.
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