Lib Dem Candidate Horrified by Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Published on: 27 Feb, 2022
Updated on: 1 Mar, 2022

The colours of the Ukrainian flag come from the blue sky (freedom), the yellow from the golden wheat fields and the joy of their “bread basket” country.

By Martin Giles

“It makes me so angry that one man, with so little legitimacy and so much hatred, …is willing to risk the lives of so many, just to feed his own deluded sense of grandeur and entitlement.”

So says the prospective Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Guildford.

She said: “An attack on Ukraine is not just an invasion of a sovereign state, it is an attack on everything we believe in, it is an attack on democracy and this is a war that no one but Putin and his government want.

Zoe Franklin

“We have seen terrible pictures coming from Ukraine over the past two days as well as scenes of Russian citizens demanding that Putin stop his invasion immediately. We cannot turn our backs on them.

“This is a dark time for us all, with worrying news developing by the minute. It is easy to feel helpless in situations such as those we face now, but we can and will do all we can to bring an end to this needless violence.

“The still small voice of calm opposition in Russia needs fuelling – not the flames of war.

“If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, worried or scared, please do reach out to someone and share how you are feeling. It is important that we are kind to ourselves and others.”

Mark Bray-Parry of the Green Party

Mark Bray-Parry, a local spokesperson for the Green Party largely agreed. He said: “I too have watched the situation unfold in Ukraine in horror, and watched the West’s response with exasperation.

“Russia has spent eight years [since the annexation of the Crimea] protecting its economy from the sanctions now being applied.

“The response from the UK, EU, and the US has been both predictable and inadequate. Furthermore, the UK has actively made it harder for Ukrainians fleeing the war to come to the UK, restricting visa applications and expecting refugees to seek asylum via a third country. The UK government must rectify this immediately.

“When Russia annexed Crimea, sanctions were eventually eased and the West moved on, becoming ever more entangled in oligarchs’ wealth and reliant on Russian gas/oil.

“This must act as a turning point where the UK ensures more wealth transparency, both in relation to investments and political donations, while the EU immediately reviews its energy strategy with a focus on reducing and then eliminating reliance on Russian oil/gas for more sustainable (and low carbon) production.”

Mark Bray-Parry ended by giving a link for those wishing to support Ukraine, directing them to Global Citizen where there is a long list of ways you can provide support.

Angela Richardson, Guildford’s Conservative MP, and Guildford Labour were also invited to comment.