A TORY MSP has hastily deleted an “ill-judged and badly informed” tweet about the Ukrainian refugee crisis in which he sought to defend the UK Government.
Dean Lockhart, who represents Mid Scotland and Fife at Holyrood, had posted a defence of Conservative policy in response to a tweet from Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson.
Robertson in turn had initially posted to highlight the news that the UK had only awarded “around 50” visas to people fleeing the Russian invasion despite the London government’s much-touted “concessions”.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon says UK policy on Ukrainian refugees is 'unconscionable'
Writing on the social media platform, the SNP MSP said: “Permitted Ukrainian refugee arrivals so-far: Poland: 885,303; Hungary: 169,053; Slovakia: 113,967; Moldova: 84,067; Romania: 71,640; Other EU: 157,000; UK: 50.
“Shameful UK Govt refugee response!” he added.
Seeking to defend the UK Government, Lockhart accused Robertson of “misleading politically motivated nonsense”.
He wrote: “We all want to do more to help our Ukrainian friends but this is misleading politically motivated nonsense.
“To compare neighbouring countries, where most refugees will automatically go to for obvious reasons, with a country geographically further away and outside Schengen [the 26 European nations without border controls] is wrong.”
In response, Robertson wrote: “Ireland is geographically further away from Ukraine and outside Schengen.
“So far it has taken in 1349 Ukrainian refugees compared to the UK‘s pathetic and shaming total of 50 (fifty)! 27 times more than the UK.”
Lockhart then deleted his tweet, just 39 minutes after it had been posted, according to the tracking website politwhoops.
Looks like Tory MSP @DeanLockhartMSP has deleted his ill-judged and badly informed earlier tweet making excuses for the pathetic UK government response to the Ukraine refugee crisis. Here it is so you can judge it for yourself👇 #RefugeesWelcome #StandWithUkraine️ https://t.co/OnJaasbyV1 pic.twitter.com/EewKkswKbi
— Angus Robertson (@AngusRobertson) March 7, 2022
Highlighting the deletion, Robertson said that Lockhart’s initial tweet had been “ill-judged and badly informed” in its attempt to make “excuses for the pathetic UK Government response to the Ukraine refugee crisis”.
The Tory MSP later shared a video of Ukrainian billionaire and former president Petro Poroshenko praising Boris Johnson for his communication and for imposing sanctions on Russian assets.
"For those in Scotland who do not think that the UK is doing enough. More that could be done? Absolutely, but let’s not talk down the efforts of our country for political purposes," Lockhart wrote.
Poroshenko made no reference to the refugee crisis in the clip shared.
It comes after Home Secretary Priti Patel was forced to say that the French government had been wrong to accuse the UK of turning back Ukrainians at the border.
Robertson told The National: "Having been exposed for the appalling position of the UK Government on Ukrainian refugees, the Scottish Tories are still hiding behind the Home Office.
"The fact that Dean Lockhart MSP has been so embarrassed that he has had to delete his own social media post shows how bad their position is. They are on the wrong side of public opinion and the wrong side of the international response to the refugee crisis.
"It is time for the Scottish Tories to call for a change to UK Government policy and properly help Ukrainian refugees in their hour of need."
The Scottish Tories have been contacted for comment.
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