Scary times

A beautiful Sunday morning

I awake in a warm bed

Sunlight poking its way into the room

from behind the curtain

As I lift my weary head

Little one by my side

His eyes start to open

As I ponder the endless possibilities

of the day we have planned

Not a word yet spoken

We get up,

Go downstairs,

Open the curtains.

We eat breakfast,

He smiles at me,

Joy is certain

For we are happy.

Safe in our own home.

....

That was my morning anyway.

Then I switched the tele on, I endeavoured to find out what was occurring in the world outside our little bubble of peace. It would appear, some are not so lucky.

Suddenly, the blissful morning mist in my eyes faded away. Remembering horrors of the day before like a nightmare, one I wanted to forget. Ukrainians are fighting still, for their lives and their country, all while I sit comfortably on my sofa.

It's a scary thought but Europe may well be standing at the precipice of World War III. Should anyone make a wrong move now, life as we know it could be over. The bravery shown by the Ukrainian people, and by the Russian people protesting against Putin is remarkably courageous. As the battle in Ukraine continues, we ask ourselves, how did it come to this? How has an unprovoked attack of a sovereign country been allowed to occur? And can we stop it?

Well, I personally believe Britain should be helping in any possible way. I'd assumed that would go without saying. I was wrong. Britain, having known about the dangers of a possible invasion of Ukraine for sometime now (enough time for Jacob Reece-Mogg to save himself some ‘pocket money’), but not enough time for our Government to set up safe routes for Ukrainian refugees, has failed.

With a special thanks to Priti Patel and the Nationality and Borders bill, should any Ukrainians manage to get themselves across the channel by 'illegal' means, they could eventually be turned away, or even criminalised.

With the Policing Bill, the Russians protesters outside the Kremlin could have faced arrest and even up to 10 years in prison, had they been protesting in the UK.

We cannot sit here, with our mouths wide open, frowning at Putin without considering what is currently happening in Yemen. We can't become hypocritical, we must be consistent in the things we condemn.

From an article I saw this week in the Independent;

'Ministers are pressing ahead with plans to make arriving in the UK “without permission” a criminal offence punishable up to four years in prison, which would apply equally to asylum seekers of all nationalities.'

An announcement on the Home Office website;

'Ukrainian nationals in Ukraine (who aren’t immediate family members of British nationals normally living in Ukraine, or where the British national is living in the UK), are currently unable to make visa applications to visit, work, study or join family in the UK.'

No point in our Government waving around the Ukrainian flag at number 10 when they are completely failing to provide support in fundamental areas. Basics people. Basics. It's not difficult.

Times are scary, times that should remind us coming together makes us strong. So let them in!

As a member of NATO it is paramount the UK treads carefully, its unclear what Putin wants to get from this. Though from what we have seen this week, and what is clear, is that he doesn't need any excuses to act. Unsettlingly so. Due to the NATO issue there are of course limits to how far we, the UK, can intervene. Sanctions aside, if we miscalculate our actions, if we poke the hornets nest, we could make things irreconcilably worse. Which is even more of a reason we should be doing all that we are able to. Like offering a safe haven to Ukrainians like many other European countries are already.

Make Peace not War.