Nation of Sanctuary scheme ‘used to whip up division’ says FM in clash with Tories and Reform in Senedd

WALES’ First Minister has hit back at criticism from Reform UK and the Conservatives of her government's Nation of Sanctuary scheme, claiming it is being used to “whip up division” in Wales.

- 

The Welsh Government plan was designed to support and integrate refugees and asylum-seekers, with an aim of making Wales a welcoming place for people fleeing persecution and war. It has seen £55m spent since 2019, which the First Minister said was 0.05% of the Welsh Government budget over that six-year period.

The Welsh Government has said more than £45m of the total £54.8m has been used to support Ukrainians who fled the war in their country.

However, both the Welsh Conservatives and Reform UK are now opposing the scheme.

Eluned Morgan told colleagues in the Senedd this week the country was at a “crunch point’.

“I genuinely think that people need to decide on which side of this argument they're on,’ she said.

Referencing the by-election in Caerphilly on October 23, where Reform is seen as a front-runner in the previously safe Labour seat, she said: “Do they want to be on the side of division or do they want to be on the side of community cohesion and of hope?

“That is a question that people are going to have to ask themselves in the next few months, and in Caerphilly, in the next few days.

“] think it’s really important that people are clear, and I want them to be clear, where we stand as a party on this.

“T am proud that we are a nation that supports people who have fled terrible situations, like the war in Ukraine, like Afghanistan, like the human rights situation in Hong Kong. We need to stand by them. We are proud to stand by them, and they are making a valuable contribution to our communities.”