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Reform UK supporters 'don't realise Nation of Sanctuary was for Ukrainians'

By Mark Mansfield
Politicians and members of the community at the event in Caerphilly

Martin Shipton

Most Reform UK supporters in Caerphilly don’t realise that the bulk of the Welsh Government’s Nation of Sanctuary programme has been spent on resettling Ukrainian refugees, it has been claimed.

Throughout the Senedd by-election campaign, which will culminate on polling day, October 23, the far right party’s most persistent line of attack has been on the Nation of Sanctuary scheme, which it has wrongly claimed to have been for asylum seekers.

In fact, more than 80% of the £55m spent has been spent resettling Ukrainians who fled their homeland in the wake of Putin’s brutal invasion.

On Friday October 17, an event was held in Caerphilly to celebrate the Nation of Sanctuary scheme, It was described as “A Day of Hope, Love and Roots”.

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'Human warmth'

In a Facebook post, Yuliia Bond of the community group Caerphilly Ukrainians wrote: “Today in Morgan Jones Park, we planted thousands of bluebells and daffodils - little bursts of blue and yellow that will bloom long after today is gone. But what really grew today was human warmth.

“It didn’t feel like a formal event - it felt like a family reunion. Laughter, hugs, kind eyes, shared stories. In a time when the world keeps shouting and dividing, here we were - people quietly choosing kindness, standing shoulder to shoulder for peace and community.”

The by-election was caused by the sudden death in August of Labour MS Hefin David.

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Hefin David

Ms Bond wrote: “We were deeply moved to have Hefin David’s mum Christine David and sister Siân Fowler with us. Hefin was a good friend of our community, a man whose heart led before politics. His loss still feels heavy but seeing his family there reminded us that goodness never truly disappears. It grows and continues in others.

“And how special to have Gareth Hughes, the Green Party candidate with us, and my dear friend who, together with his wonderful wife Chris, opened their home to me and my children when we fled the war. Yes, nine months of hosting me - that’s why Gareth is so grey now. Hearing him say he is proud of me touched something deep.

“When you’re displaced and going through a lot of trauma, you feel small and lost - almost like a child again. For me, real integration didn’t begin with a job, a home, or language. It began the moment I felt responsible for the place I now live in - when I started caring for it as I cared for my homeland. That’s when I knew: I truly belong. No matter what the far right might say or think.

“We had Plaid Cymru - Rhun ap Iorwerth, Peredur Owen Griffiths, Steven Skivens, and Lindsay Whittle, whose powerful, firm words still echo after debates. To me that's what real leadership looks like: empathy with courage, heart with reason.

“We had Dafydd Iwan the folk singer, Nick Wysoczanskyj from the Welsh Refugee Council, reminding us how vital it is to fight lies with truth; and Lynn Gazal from Climate Action Caerphilly Caerffili Gweithredu Hinsawdd, whose heart and effort made this day bloom. Lynn organised the whole school to take part - class by class, from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm, planting bulbs and filling the park with joy all day long.

“We also had Meg SF with her children from Gwent Green Party and Philip Davies, Wales Green Party’s Deputy Leader.

“Steve Aicheler, the LibDem candidate for Caerphilly beautifully said, parties may stand on different sides of many debates, but on this - on standing with Ukrainians and supporting the Nation of Sanctuary - they stand together.

“Welsh Labour - we were so happy to see Richard Tunnicliffe with his son today: his warmth and energy always lifts everyone’s spirits. Huge huge thanks to Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt for her continued support, kindness, and genuine belief in Wales as a true Nation of Sanctuary - and Julie Morgan and Wayne David for your support!

“Many thanks to Caerphilly Town Council for making it possible and to all who came with trowels, smiles, and open hearts. If I’ve forgotten to mention someone, please remind me - days like this have too many heroes to name!

“Look through the photos and videos - you’ll see it: the laughter, the hugs, the unity that no words can fully capture.

“And one last thing. I keep hearing, ‘We’re not against Ukrainians, just against asylum seekers.’ Oh really? Interesting how that works - because 85% of the Nation of Sanctuary funding actually supported Ukrainians with integration. So maybe ask your party - why launch a petition against the Nation of Sanctuary scheme? Why demonise it and make it the main election campaign agenda? Oh wait … they didn’t mention that little detail when thousands of good, trusting Welsh people were asked to sign it, did they?

“I think today showed the difference between what divides and what unites. And what unites is always stronger.

“Let’s keep planting - flowers, friendship, and hope. Because that’s how a Nation of Sanctuary grows.”

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18 comments

Jeff

They wont because farage has managed to corner the hate market and get the press to do his bidding. Gill takes loot from putin, barely a whisper. A poor decision on sentencing for the alledge spying case has the press out gunning for the PM. Deputy PM has an issue with a house purchase, the press go ape chasing her (torygraoph led), farage says he bought a house then turns out he fibbed, it was his new girlfriend and she didn't look to be in a position to do that but farage avoids tax, not a whisper for the usual suspects. And the numbers are tiny, but far right manage to ladle the hate out at levels that are scary. Farage and reform are a stain on the UK. https://bylinetimes.com/2025/10/17/what-nathan-did-next-a-kremlin-backed-forum-on-how-to-subvert-western-democracy/

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Amir

Most deform supporters don't realise anything except the word "change" and the phrase "stop the boats". Beyond that there is an absence of any further ability to reason meaningfully. Yes, "change" means total absence of any representation by your new deform politician. No word from our new deform councillor in Trowbridge and St. Mellons. "Stop the boats" means build a wall in the channel and clear away all people of colour and whose surname cannot be easily pronounced.

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Peter J

I'm not here to support reforms view, which has twisted the whole debate, but the nation of sanctuary policy/vision? was launched before the Ukraine invasion and for was for all people needing sanctuary and fleeing eg war zones. However, I don't think labour or plaid or anyone else should be ashamed of it, even if it was unpopular (and to the majority it isn't). You should stand up for your principles in politics and show morale leadership, especially as parties that believe in social justice. There is a secondary point to make to Reform that it actually it wasn't massive sums of money allocated to this ..

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Amir

Well said.

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Mab Meirion

Exactly so, the Afghanistan exodus foremost...

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Badger

The policy has been linked to the sums of money which seem enormous even though they are only pennies per citizen per week. People lose the plot over the word "million". The genius of the Cons is to push their controversial spending into the billions because that doesn't elicit such an emotive response.

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Peter J

Indeed, and its spread over several years. Labour, plaid, lib dems clearly support this principle. They should stand up for it and make the case for it

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Hunter

Terminology and words are frustrating it's as if the argument being made is that it's OK to demonises assylum seekers but not Ukrainians. I understand the politics behind this, but it's simply wrong. Strictly speaking, Ukrainians fleeing war are assylum seekers. We should welcome people fleeing war in Ukraine as well as those fleeing war and persecution in Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, Sudan, Eritrea. These people also deserve our compassion.

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Badger

It's necessary because the antidote to simple emotive messaging is introducing just enough obvious undeniable complexity to undermine the original message. The alternative is that the simple emotive messaging goes unchallenged and becomes alternative facts.

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Fi yn unig

No, they won’t realise because whilst we are here living on ‘Truth Terrace’, they all live on ‘Lie Lane’. How they got there is anyones’ guess as there are no adjoining slip roads to move between one and the other. It must have involved a round the world flight to land at an airport built on its’ far right side.

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TheOtherJones

A lot Reform voters don’t realise much at all about how things work and why certain policies exist either. From the ones in my life, they believe what’s said on Facebook and by their political commentators of choice that fits their biases. Opinions won’t change even when shown the facts and figures that disprove their talking point. Big opinions on much that they can’t coherently explain without exposing their dislike of people that look or sound different to them.

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Amir

Very true.

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theoriginalmark

Are Reform followers in Caerffili capable of having any sort of cognitive thought process

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Amir

That is a very good question.

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Felicity

All the other parties should stop being mere responders to Reform's latest absurd claim, and put forward their own plans. Reform captures the headlines, much like Trump, because most of what they say is inaccurate, with the other parties scarmbling to refute them instead of campaigning on their own agenda.

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Zarah Daniel

This has ALWAYS been the downfall of the centre-left. They fall for this need to allow these lunatics with extreme right-wing views to set the agenda. The extremist agenda is NOT what really matters to ordinary people until they are allowed centre stage to convince the public that these are the things that they apparently ought to be worried about. If you actually ASK PEOPLE they will tell you they are worried about how the cost of living is far outstripping any rise in their wages. THAT is what politicians should be talking about. Why is food pricing going up and up? The cost of petrol? Why is it that every time businesses have an excuse, they raise prices but once a particular crisis has gone away those prices never go back down? Why is the so called "Living Wage" not actually a living wage? Why won't the government raise the minimum wage so that it actually is a living wage? Taxpayers shouldn't be topping up working people's money with benefits. Employers should be paying proper wages - or are we going back to the "everyone will go bankrupt if we pay the poorest people a decent wage" lie that they told for decades prior to the introduction of the original minimum wage?? THIS IS WHAT people worry about day to day. They aren't looking for reasons to hate or blame other races, cultures or nationalities until the "Reformed-the-BNP-and-put-it-in-a-suit" party tell them that this is the cause of their problems. Instead of saying "Greedy businesses are charging far more than they need to for groceries" and "Greedy employers are underpaying their poorest employees"..........."So here are some of the things you can do about it and here are some of the things that we think that we, as politicians, should do about"..... they've let the school bully run the conversation. If the bully shouts "Boats", you have to talk about boats - even though boats are not what's making people in this country poorer. It's time that EVERY other political party in this country started saying "Stop changing the subject - THIS is what matters to this community.. They are concerned about the safety of X-road, the loss of the post office in Y village, long term planning for flood defences in Z part of town. They also want to know why all the local employment offers such low wages. None of that has anything to do with your nonsense. It's a distraction. You don't have any plans that will actually help THIS community. Until you do - stop interrupting those who are trying to help."

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Jeff

This is a good read. What does Powell know. https://www.thenerve.news/p/nathan-gill-nigel-farage-bribes-oleh-voloshyn-nadia-sass-borodi-moscow-kyiv-strasbourg

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Fanny Hill

Bloody hell Jeff, you're not wrong there. Only a matter of time.

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Terminology and words are frustrating it's as if the argument being made is that it's OK to demonises assylum seekers but not Ukrainians. I understand the politics behind this, but it's simply wrong. Strictly speaking, Ukrainians fleeing...

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