Thread by @paulwaugh

After another sorry day of chaos and confusion from @pritipatel, the gap between the British Govt and the British public on Ukrainian refugees is bigger than ever.

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inews.co.uk/news/ukrainian…

Just a few examples of the chaos.

1.
Patel tells MPs: “It’s wrong to say we are turning people back [at Calais], we are absolutely not”.
But UK posters in Calais tell refugees to apply online or at visa centres in Paris/Brussels

2.
Patel tells MPs: “We have set up a bespoke VAC (Visa Application Centre) en route to Calais but away from the port”.
Reality: no such centre yet exists.

3. Patel tells MPs elderly aunts of Ukrainians in the UK are not being denied entry.
Reality: that's exactly what Ukrainians are reporting.

4. Patel last Mon: "I can confirm that through this extension alone an additional 100,000 Ukrainians will be able to seek sanctuary in the UK."

Patel last Tues: "We shd be very honest + level with everyone that we do not know the number of people who will seek to come to the UK"

The charitable interpretation: Patel is trying to bounce No.10 into being more liberal, announcing policy before it's agreed.
The less charitable interpretation: she's so defensive about criticism, she overspins plans/ambitions

Govt backbenchers find it hard to defend the line, when the line changes so much.
When asked about her performance at the despatch box today, one Tory MP simply rolled their eyes.

Tragedy is the UK has much to be proud of in its response to Ukraine, leading on supplying defensive weapons, training troops, bank [as opposed to oligarch] sanctions etc.
All of which @ZelenskyyUa will surely praise us for tmrw.
So why is Govt overselling its refugee response?