Mark Drakeford blasts Boris Johnson as ‘world’s leading foot-dragger’ on Ukraine
Mark Drakeford has used his Welsh Labour conference speech to blast Boris Johnson as the “world’s leading foot-dragger” on the Ukraine crisis.
Wales’ First Minister said that the gap between the UK Government’s rhetoric and the reality on the conflict was “shamefully wide”.
He contrasted it with the “strength of feeling” and “generosity” in Wales.
“If, as the prime minister says, he stands shoulder to shoulder with people in Ukraine, that must seem a very long way off to all those who are dealing with what charities on the ground are calling a ‘chaotic, heartless and unkind’ response when trying to access the prime minister’s goodwill,” he said.
“The gap between what the Conservative government says, and the actions it delivers is shamefully wide. Shameful to the UK’s reputation around the world, shamefully at odds with the instinctive generosity of so many people across our country.
“And most shamefully of all, a real dereliction of the moral and practical duty we have to do everything we can to help those innocent people whose lives have been destroyed by Russian action.
“Let the message from this conference be clear – no more prevarication and no more claiming to lead the world, while being the world’s leading foot-dragger.”
His comments come after reports by Sky News that Downing Street had intervened to stop a plan by the Home Office to open up a new “humanitarian route” for refugees fleeing the war.
“The problem is No 10 – the PM and [chief of staff] Steve Barclay – who are personally slapping this down,” one source told the broadcaster.
Downing Street is also understood to have called in a Home Office plan to allow the family members of Ukrainians on temporary visas to enter the UK.
Only 1,305 Ukrainian refugees so far have been granted a visa under the Home Office’s family migration scheme.
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Hoist with his own clichê. Nice one Mark 😀
Johnson is Evgeny Lebedev’s man. Bought and paid for.
I guess your twin ( the good one ) is more interested in folks health and adhering to what the UN health plus nhs says rather than worrying about keeping the neo con section of his party on board
Bonking Bozo IS the worst foot-dragger of all – he’s also totally corrupt and completely amoral, a cheat, an arch-liar and an utter coward. Jail him.
Given that a new variant of Omicron has been identified and which is even more infectious than the existing strain perhaps a little caution would be sensible. Remember there are those who no fault of their own are highly vulnerable and are being forced into ‘voluntary’ lockdown because of the “couldn’t care less” attitude of many folk. A simple thing like Covid distancing would make it safe for those vulnerable people to begin to recover their formerly active lives but the “couldn’t care less” brigade ensure that they cannot feel safe outside theor homes any more.
I’ll ask again, what part of been part of this ‘union’ do you like?