Hope and Mourning
March 15, 2022, 8:00 am , by Richard Lutz
RICHARD LUTZ awaits news from the front, news from Whitehall
Hope and mourning. No, not a headline that popped into my head. But a quote from singer Nina Simone who, I think, was quoting from a poem as she entertained a crowd many years ago. Hope and mourning. We shift uncomfortably between the two poles as the Ukraine news pours off the net, out of the tv, from the radio.
With thousands hiding in Ukrainian shelters as their homes are destroyed, with dead bodies left on the streets or under rubble, as huddled masses cram neighbouring countries, we look at the UK response.
Yes, it has been slow and maddeningly inept, but there’s a glimmer of hope as the government finally (reluctantly, it seems) launches a refugee scheme. There’s an online site; it crashes as 40,000 Britons offer homes, rooms, spare sofas for those that left their embattled nation.
We are ready to offer a ’note of interest’ but digitally cannot. Surely, the Home Office, which handles complex domestic affairs, would have anticipated a wave of compassion from those who are ready to open their doors? We await a green light to table a helping hand.
But questions remain…vital questions. There is no indication about translation services, back up for a child’s education, medical and social care safety nets. They are unknowns even though the open hand gestures remain apparent.
You just don’t suddenly discover an unsavoury billionaire is suspect…
But then again, we are talking about a government, an establishment, that sanctioned Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea football owner, even though for years it knew the billionaire was hooked into Putin’s mad world.
And after all, you just don’t suddenly discover an unsavoury figure is suspect. You tolerate him, offer him shelter, ignore his obscene Russian links until it becomes politically expedient to shut him down. This goes, of course, for the dozens of other dubious Russian magnates who swanned around London for years under Britain’s slack if not benign watch.
Hope and mourning. Hope that Putin is brought down in a Kremlin putsch here on the Ides of March and the killing fields grow quiet. Mourning that the killing will go on and on with more dead lying in the ruins as an endless mass of refugees head for some sort of calm.
share this post!
Julia Neall
Having worked for Solihull Council. Our dept oversaw the ( low numbers) of Syrian refugees accepted by this authority. The bureaucracy and infrastructure, etc was huge . I hope the government realise the pressure the LA and the kind Uk public will be under. I hope I can help in any small way but I’m not so sure about this government or our Local Authorities
Henry Heggan in Berlin
Yup, that sounds like the disorganized Blighty I used to know. If only the left hands knew what the right hands were doing. I think there’s a market there.
Alan Holland
There’s ample historical precedent for dealing with floods of refugees. It’s interesting that nearly everyone nowadays expects Government to micromanage everything.That’ll take forever given that the Home Office is unfit for purpose and every day on a border with nothing adds to the trauma which needs dealing with. I’m sure that in the past when ,say an evacuee or Kindertransport kids turned up on one’s doorstep private citizens exercised their own common sense about what was best. Yes, there are bad apples out there but we seem to be too paralysed by fear of the bad to get our fingers out and get on and do some good.
Jess Harris
Johnson’s initial offer to us all to host a Ukrainian refugee sounded like he was offering the gift of a pet dog – no doubt hoping for a polls boost as a result. Hope all well.
Jeanette
Clear,concise
Bella Houston
Interested to hear how an offer of accommodation progresses.
GR in Maine
Unbearable sadness
Will Travel
In my mind what we are now seeing is the impact of Brexit writ large…Putin enabled Brexit by funding the leave.EU campaign and provided cyber support for Cambridge analytica etc. Johnson is in office only because of the support overtly of Russian money in the UK and covertly because of the activities of Putin.
The UK is marginalised from influencing (and being influenced by) the response to the Ukraine crisis by its absence from the EU and defaults to the shameful situation we find now.
Rosemary Kent
My hope: internal combustion for all that hatred burning inside him.
Jay Evans
When the power of love replaces the love of power we will find peace – Jimi Hendrix
Glen Jackson
do spare a thought for poor Chelsea F.C. Now they’re no longer being bankrolled by Putin’s dogsbody, what’s a fan to do?
Quentin Rose
Ukraine’s call for a new Nuremberg-style tribunal to hold Putin and his cronies personally accountable for the international crime of aggression is gaining momentum. Let’s add a million voices to put Putin on trial, and Avaaz will work with prominent international lawyers to deliver our call to all key governments.
Every voice matters – sign and share with everyone: https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/prosecute_putin_60/?kuRFaqb
Marc Weinstein
I wonder if Sir Howard would like to ask the top geezer of the Football Association his thoughts about using the gains of the increaed energy costs to finance its Emirates FA Cup?
Tony Fitzpatrick
The “scheme” smacks of the usual ‘announcement-ism’coming as it does only after vilification of the odious ‘Go-Home’ Secretary’s stance on keeping them out of the UK… but with a humane KitKat and packet of Salt ‘n Shake.
I hope I’m wrong but my guess is nothing like the announced numbers will materialise…. they’ve got their headline of plucky Brits stepping up to do the job most EU governments are dealing with directly.
Tony Fitzpatrick
…. but full respect to you both for doing your bit…I have pondered myself if I would do it we’re our current circumstances a bit different…👏
Naz Qureshi
Beton (Бетон) – Kyiv Calling (official cover version of London Calling of The Clash) – YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9guzUoTNxeE
Hogarth
Yes, politics is crazy
Subscribe to new posts.