RT.com
01 Oct 2022, 23:44 GMT+10
The UK Defense Ministry is ?doing nothing? to fill more than 1,300 vacant properties near its bases, local lawmakers claimed
Conservative politicians in Britain have accused the Ministry of Defense of "doing nothing" to accommodate Ukrainian refugees, even though 1,350 military homes sit empty across the county of Wiltshire alone. Hundreds of Ukrainian families currently living with British hosts may soon be left homeless.
The British government's 'Homes for Ukraine' scheme saw more than 156,000 Ukrainian refugees arrive in the UK since March, according to its data. However, with many of their British sponsors agreeing to host the new arrivals only for a period of six months and declining to extend, activists warned in August that as many as 50,000 could be left homeless by next year.
"I'm on the edge of a housing crisis now," Councillor Richard Clewer, Conservative leader of Wiltshire Council, told the Daily Mail on Saturday. "I have 360 Ukrainian families that are likely to need to leave host families because they have agreed to a six-month deal."
Clewer said that he has been attempting to "persuade" the Ministry of Defense to place these families in Army housing. As Wiltshire is home to around a fifth of the Army's soldiers, the ministry owns a stock of properties in the area worth tens of millions of pounds, of which 1,350 have been vacant "for at least five or seven years," the councillor said.
"They are doing absolutely nothing" to fill the homes, he continued. "I think it's a disgrace they have stayed empty this long. I could use them to house families that desperately need housing."
Tory MP Danny Kruger told the Mail that not only could these properties house Ukrainians, but also locals struggling with a shortage of affordable homes.
"I recognize the Army needs some spare housing for families who have to move at short notice, but this is a failure of management," Kruger said.
The Defense Ministry had not responded to the Mail's article as of Saturday afternoon, but it has previously said that some of the 1,350 homes are located on Army property and are reserved for military families.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of International Travel News news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to International Travel News.
More InformationFRANKLIN, Tennessee: Hundreds of thousands of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles are being recalled across the United States due to a potential...
REDMOND, Washington: Microsoft is the latest tech giant to announce significant job cuts, as the financial strain of building next-generation...
LONDON UK - U.S. stock markets were closed on Friday for Independence Day. Global Forex Markets Wrap Up Friday with Greeback Comeback...
SANTA CLARA, California: Nvidia came within a whisker of making financial history on July 3, briefly surpassing Apple's all-time market...
SACRAMENTO, California: California's multibillion-dollar farms are facing a growing crisis—not from drought or pests, but from a sudden...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Donald Trump says the United States could soon reach a trade deal with India. He believes this deal would...
KABUL, Afghanistan: Afghanistan, long associated with war and instability, is quietly trying to rebrand itself as a destination for...
EVERGLADES, Florida: Over the weekend, a diverse coalition of environmental activists, Native American leaders, and residents gathered...
Kathmandu [Nepal], July 5 (ANI): The Nagarik Unmukti Party has decided to walk out of the ruling alliance led by Nepal Prime Minister...
HAIKOU, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Nestled in the coastal town of Boao in south China's Hainan Province, the Boao Lecheng International Medical...
* China's first LEGOLAND resort opened on Saturday in Shanghai. * Spanning 318,000 square meters, LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort is the...
(250705) -- BOAO, July 5, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Canadian figure skating coach Mark Batka (C) experiences Chinese calligraphy at the Boao...