The Conservative confusion: Shaming the nation

Desmond Clifford

Darren Millar, in order to make his mark as leader of the Welsh Conservatives, has decided to oppose the Welsh Government’s expenditure on housing Ukrainian refugees in Wales.

The Conservatives are spooked by Reform and respond by abandoning what makes them Conservatives.

For all the depth and consistency he shows, Darren might just as well decide over breakfast what he’ll say today.

What’s happening here? Is this really the party of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher? Surely their ghosts tremble with indignation?

The Baroness shakes her gory locks and points an accusing finger at the Senedd’s Conservative office.

Anyone who thinks she’d save a few bob in preference to sustaining democracy in Europe is seriously misreading history. How did the Welsh branch of Europe’s most successful political party become so unmoored from its values?

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Fleeing civilians 

When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 the UK was among the nations to open its doors to fleeing civilians.

Individual households were permitted to accommodate refugees and public bodies were invited to become “super sponsors” to provide support.

The Welsh Government did this, working with local authorities and others. Around 8,000 Ukrainian refugees fled to Wales. Just under half were accommodated in the Welsh Government scheme and the remainder in Welsh homes.

The Welsh Government has spent something like £45m supporting Ukrainians. Until now, the programme had unanimous support from across the Senedd. £45 million represents around 0.17% of the Welsh Government’s current £26 billion annual budget – but since this spending has been spread over three years, that 0.17% becomes an annual figure of 0.056%.

Wales is using its powers to support Ukraine in the way it can. Ukraine is the front line of a proxy war.

Even now Wales is not immune, as we may wish to ponder when the next cyber-attack is reported.

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Security

Anyone in the Senedd who didn’t get the memo about Russia’s intentions needs to move aside and make room for representatives who are alert to our long-term security.

Ukrainians are fighting a war that will eventually be fought elsewhere if the aggression is unchecked.

They have lost between 60,000 and 100,000 people so far in the conflict with hundreds of thousands more injured. Surely, we must do what we can to help?

Democracy comes at a price which, traditionally, Conservatives recognised with great clear-sightedness.

It’s a price which, apparently, Darren Millar’s Conservatives are no longer prepared to pay.

Frustratingly, the Welsh Government makes itself an easy target.  It presents its completely justifiable support for Ukrainians under the cringing policy title of “Nation of Sanctuary”, as ever, missing no chance to signal its virtue.

If only they would label their policy in clear, simple terms: support for Ukrainian refugees. Still, better a Pharisee than a Judas.

The Conservatives once loudly applauded the admission of Ukrainian refugees into Wales but look at them now. The shame of it.

Intense emotion

Recall the late winter of 2022 and the intense emotion surrounding Russia’s invasion. Everybody felt it.

Remember the panic and fear at Ukraine’s overwhelmed train stations. Everybody – except for Britain’s community of Russia-appeasers – was keen to help Ukraine in the ways we could.

In year 4, it’s got harder, of course it has. If there’s a year 5 and a year 6, it’ll get harder still.

War-weariness has set in and people want it done, but imagine how Ukrainians feel. Don’t they want it finished more than anyone? The least we can do is maintain solidarity until the end, whatever the end looks like.

I hope Ukraine will prevail over the aggressor. I imagine Darren Millar does too.

One day the fighting will stop, and Ukrainians will return home. Those who found refuge in Wales may occasionally recall the small and honourable country which, although by no means rich, opened its doors and did what it could. That’s the Wales most of us are proud of, a Wales that can look the world in the eye.

Prayer breakfast

Darren Millar has chosen to walk his cohort along the wrong side of the Jerusalem to Jericho road (St Luke, 10). His elastic personal theology allows him to jog blissfully along with the priest and the Levite untroubled by the fate of the wounded man awaiting the goodly Samaritan.

Prayer breakfasts, my arse.

Whenever I revisit the gospels, I am struck afresh by the awesome demands made by Jesus of his disciples. Love without condition; it’s more revolutionary than any political agenda ever devised. It is indeed easier to walk through the eye of a needle than to practice what he had to say.

Why is Darren Millar leading Welsh Conservatives down this dismal path? Reform UK, of course.

Some Conservatives, though by no means all, have persuaded themselves that the way to halt the seepage is to indulge the most depressing and demeaning policy positions they can conjecture.

Not only is it morally questionable to betray fundamental principles, it’s also a mistake for Conservatives to think they can out-play Reform at their own sport.

In any case, voters are playing with Reform for a clutch of reasons without necessarily signing up to full a menu of policies drafted hurriedly on the backs of envelopes.

I don’t know what’s to become of Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd. Are they donkeys led by donkeys, or are there a few tigers on those benches eager to make Conservatism count?

There’s a hurricane blowing and it’s not obvious who will still be upright when it’s passed. Chasing Reform will only hasten the Conservative demise in the long run. Conservatives should run from the gloomy shadow cast by Darren Millar and seize the agenda before they are led off the cliff’s edge.

It’s one thing if Welsh Conservatives shame themselves, quite another if they shame Wales.