Hello and welcome to More or Less. We're the programme that takes a look at the numbers

made prominent by the news and finds out that often, spoiler alert, all is not what

it seems, and I'm Tim Haferd.

As the war in Ukraine continues, Reuters has reported that some 2.3 million people have

been displaced. So far, many of them have sought refuge in neighbouring countries. The

UN estimates that as of 8 March, Poland has taken in almost 1.3 million refugees, hungry

just over 200,000 and Slovakia almost 100,000. Moldova has by far the largest concentration

of refugees per capita, with almost 4,000 per 100,000 residents. That's not surprising,

given that it's a small country right next to Ukraine.

But even Ireland, on the opposite edge of Europe, has received more than 2,000 Ukrainian refugees

through Dublin Airport alone. In contrast, the UK government says its issued visas to

just under 1,000 Ukrainians fleeing the conflict. Relative to the size of its population, Moldova

has taken almost 3,000 times more, although many of them are likely to pass through quite

quickly and settle in other countries. And relative to its population, the UK's neighbour,

Ireland, has received 20 times more refugees than the UK. Critics say the British government

should do much more to make visas accessible to refugees. One such critic was Ian Blackford,

member of Parliament for the Scottish National Party. He questioned whether the British

government had done enough for Ukrainian refugees.

These numbers don't lie. They tell a devastating truth. Does the Prime Minister find it acceptable?

That his home secretary has overseen one of the slowest, most bureaucratic and incompetent

refugee responses in the whole of Europe?

Strong words indeed, the British Prime Minister responded that...

...