The Conversation (0)
Becca Monaghan
Feb 28, 2022
Liz Truss says she ‘absolutely’ support British people going to fight in ...
BBC
ITV presenter Charlene White has been praised for her "amazing emphasis and questioning" during an interview with Liz Truss.
More than 368,000 Ukrainians have fled to neighbouring countries as Russia continues its invasion. The UK has quickly responded with weapons and equipment to support Ukraine and has also put out sanctions against Russia.
However, its response to helping Ukrainian refugees has been highly criticised.
During the interview, the foreign secretary said the UK is doing "all we can to support the refugees", which prompted White to quiz whether that meant the doors will be open for Ukrainians to seek refuge.
She said: "So, are we opening our doors in that case, or are we just expecting other countries to do that?"
"Well, the prime minister has always been clear that there will always be a home in Britain for refugees," Truss replied. "We are very concerned about what's happening on the ground and we're urgently looking at what more the United Kingdom can do."
The ITV host then candidly hit back and said: "It will be interesting to see how long that takes, Liz Truss,
"Because currently, we have children lying on floors in train stations who could really be doing with knowing where they will be sleeping in the next couple of nights."
Home Secretary @trussliz says the UK is doing 'all we can' to support Ukrainian refugees. The government has been criticised for not going far enough in simplifying visa controls https://www.itv.com/news/2022-02-27/russia-targets-ukraines-airfields-and-fuel-supplies-as-invasion-continues\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/rYj5yfuVLh— ITV News (@ITV News) 1645955769
Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
People have since turned to social media to applaud White for asking the questions "that need to be asked."
One said they had a "heart filled with love and admiration" for the ITV host and her straight-talking responses.
This whole interview with Liz Truss was something I was so proud of, but this last bit here....I need all journalists to start getting on to these politicians and asking them the questions that need to be asked! \n\n@CharleneWhite proud of you pic.twitter.com/rgA9cRftAs— Carina White\u270a\ud83c\udffe\ud83c\uddef\ud83c\uddf2 (@Carina White\u270a\ud83c\udffe\ud83c\uddef\ud83c\uddf2) 1646044275
Wow, wow & more wow! This gave me that knot in my stomach from working in news, those (many) times you want to call something out, or rewrite the script, but you\u2019re too scared\u2026 but @CharleneWhite did As well as that knot, I\u2019ve got a heart full of love & admiration— Veronica Gordon \ud83c\uddef\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddf9\ud83c\uddf9\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 (@Veronica Gordon \ud83c\uddef\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddf9\ud83c\uddf9\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7) 1646045834
Another Twitter user called the ITV journalist "brilliant" for her final remark.
Yes! I literally shouted \u201cgo on Charlene!!\u201d At the TV when she said this. Just brilliant— Amy Elizabeth (@Amy Elizabeth) 1646048235
Shivers! Wow!— PMBT (@PMBT) 1646048260
This.https://twitter.com/_CarinaWh/status/1498244399410647047\u00a0\u2026— Wayne Boucaud (@Wayne Boucaud) 1646045871
I am here for this type of journalism!! Bravo @CharleneWhitehttps://twitter.com/_CarinaWh/status/1498244399410647047\u00a0\u2026— Tru Powell (@Tru Powell) 1646045177
Others were quick to criticise the UK's lack of preparation and "shameful" delay.
Shameful that @liztruss hasn\u2019t *already* changed visa rules so that Ukrainian refugees can come here.\u201cThis is something we\u2019re looking at\u201d isn\u2019t good enough. Government has been predicting this crisis for weeks - why haven\u2019t they prepared for this better? #Raworth #SundayMorning— Caroline Lucas (@Caroline Lucas) 1645955529
One mocked Truss for "doing all she can" with backdrops of Ukrainian flags and taking up interviews.
She\u2019s doing all she can. She had her photograph taken in front of a Ukraine flag and she\u2019s been on several TV shows. What more do people expect her to do?— Zillian Zilch (@Zillian Zilch) 1646038869
Another compared the UK's response to what other countries have achieved in a matter of days.
\u201cAll we can\u201d? Look at other countries and they already did in the last 4 days.. Lighting up buildings in multicolour doesn\u2019t constitute\u2018doing\u2019. Posturing and gesture politics isn\u2019t \u2018doing\u2019.— Darlink \ud83d\udd17 (@Darlink \ud83d\udd17) 1645979864
Didn't recognize her without the flags behind her— Feast of Stephen (@Feast of Stephen) 1645955843
No this government is not doing everything it could! and we are ashamed of our government. Remove restrictions and shelter these people in their hour of need!\n#Ukraine\n\nhttps://www.instagram.com/reel/CahA-KHOyHM/?utm_medium=copy_link\u00a0\u2026https://twitter.com/itvnews/status/1497873178718310401\u00a0\u2026— Jo Dennis\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa\ud83d\udc9a\ud83d\udc99\u270f\ufe0f#takebackBritain (@Jo Dennis\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa\ud83d\udc9a\ud83d\udc99\u270f\ufe0f#takebackBritain) 1646042539
Vladamir Putin has since blamed Truss for putting Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on high alert.
The Russian leader's command, issued on Sunday, escalated the crisis, raising the spectre of a worldwide nuclear conflict.
His spokesperson Dmitry Peskov blamed "unacceptable" comments from Western politicians for prompting the move, and singled out the foreign secretary.
"There were unacceptable statements about possible conflict situations and even confrontations and clashes between Nato and Russia," said Peskov.
"I will not name the authors of these statements, although it was the British foreign secretary."
The comments-in-question appear to be Truss' TV interview on Sunday, where she said that if Putin wasn't stopped, it could lead to Nato being brought into a wider conflict.
"If we don't stop Putin in Ukraine, we are going to see others under threat – the Baltics, Poland, Moldova, and it could end up in a conflict with Nato," Truss said.
"We do not want to go there. That is why it is so important we make the sacrifices now."
Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.