The Isle of Wight’s Member of Parliament (MP) Bob Seely led a cross-party group of MPs to Kyiv earlier this month – the first group to do so since the war in Ukraine began in February.
Seely, and some of his fellow members of the House of Commons, met key Ukrainian MPs, dignitaries and even the country’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Among reasons for the trip were to understand what exactly aid and support raised by the UK government are doing in the country as well as for Mr Seely and his fellow MPs to see first-hand what things are like in the country still ravaged by the effects of war.
Writing on Twitter, Seely said:
“UK Ministers are rightly close to their Ukrainian counterparts. But MPs from all parties also need to see for themselves the conditions in Ukraine to understand how UK Gov’t is helping and how UK Parliament can suggest what next needs to be done
During their trip earlier this month, they were saddened by the news of the passing of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
After discussing the news at length with his peers, Mr Seely and the rest of the cohort decided to proceed with the trip as planned.
On that decision, Bob said:
“After discussions with parties, we decided to continue. HM grew up in a nation fighting for its survival in WWII. We were travelling to a nation fighting for its survival today. The parallel was not lost on us.”
Who paid for this and how has it helped the British public?
What an absolute waste of money.
Perhaps he will take in a fleeing war victim into his large abode ?
And how much of this little jaunt cost us in your expenses?????
Surely a zoom meeting would have been cheaper !!!!!!
And the council and mps wonder why we don’t respect them ?!?!…..
Stop wasting money ……..
It appears that is something you are all very skilled in !!!!!!!
why is he not addressing the knife crime on the island or terrible driving instead of wasting tax payers money on a jolly
But MPs from all parties also need to see for themselves the conditions in Ukraine
Seely – you and the council are paid by the taxpayer to oversee and administer the day to day running of the island and its administrative functions – you have no right whatsoever to be jollying it to another country, when you should be here working.
get on with the jobs you are paid to do and stop shirking – go to kyiv in your own time and when taking annual leave, at your own expense – not ours
Absolutely spot on. But as usual he will take no notice whatsoever. Couldn’t give a rats anus for what his constituents think.
An all expenses paid for by us holiday. Could have easily been done via a few zoom meetings. Shame on them.
Did he have a nice taxpayer funded holiday to Ukraine?
What about a meaningful and helpful visit to the Island, you remember the ones who elected you.
Well that trip made a big difference didn’t it.. I’m sure President Zelensky enjoys these time wasting visits, when are the Kardashian’s stopping by .. anything for a photoshoot eh Bob ..
Zelinskys wife posing for magazines shows how serious it is.
Thought his PR machine had been quiet for a while. Hope Ukraine get some use out of him.
Bet Putin is terrified this lot are on his case, what a load of old b****x this whole manufactured conflict entirely driven by Nato and by greed..NATO should have been dispanded at the end of the cold war..Putin even offered to join NATO as a mark of peace but no, they wouldn’t allow him at the table of peace..and now this, the Nato warmongers make billions off it from afar, the US plant their bloke Zenlenski, merchant of what? destroying Ukraine in stilleto’s, the media charges the public with lies all for money..your tax money..stop the corrupt war now, it is the children that suffer the most and for the longest.
Russia joining NATO, as Putin wanted, without any of the preliminaries, would have been a mistake. It would have given Putin advanced weaponry and access to NATO operations and tactics.
Putin would then secede from NATO and do exactly what he’s doing now except there is a good chance Ukraine would now be his.
Russia did sign a UN agreement with the US to assure Ukraine’s security (in 1994) in the light of giving up it’s own nuclear arsenal. It was signed by Anatoli ZLenko (Ukraine) Sergey Lavrov (one of Putin’s cronies) along with David Hannay (UK) and Madeline Albright (USA)
Russia broke that agreement when it annexed Crimea. NATO aren’t squeaky-clean by any stretch, but Russia are the “bad guys”, here, by quite a way.
What a complete waste of money
All that talent in a dangerous place. It would only take one misplaced shell, then whatever would we do. ?
The island would never cope without his leadership and care……..would it?
Fingers crossed
Were they serving sausages for dinner? He is supposed to be a representative of the island, not a foreign secretary. Disgusting jolly paid for by us.
Maybe Zelensky will ask for some more money.
What does this achieve nothing.Boris has given millions and millions away with consent of voters.
Crisis here needs dealing with first.
Ukrainians don’t vote you in Bob.
Super corupt country, perhaps mps vying to help the Ukrainians if they win .A bit Hunter Biden style?
Seely should be spending time on the Island tackling issues, rather than prancing around in Ukraine.
The Island needs a local MP who cares for Islanders.
Close the door on the way out Bob.
I have long thought that the best MP for the Isle of Wight would be an independent. The problem with parties is that their MPs are expected to put their party before their constituency. Seely, and a good proportion of other Tory, Labour and LD MPs, double down on that by also putting their political careers ahead of the interests of their constituents.
An independent would have no party to kowtow to, no party-political greasy pole to climb, and could concentrate on serving the Island and its people.
The downside is they wouldn’t “have the ear of the government”, but we have had a Tory MP and Tory government since 2010, and a fat lot of good that has done us.
Waste of money waste of space
Why didnt he visit Syria or Afghanistan and worry about those refugees also, and take more of those on the Island?
Why did they feel the need to go and visit, the pictures and commentaries on the news are very descriptive and upsetting enough. As if Ukraine has the time to monitor and entertain this bunch who at the end of the day have very little input in what goes on if it is against the Conservative majority view. Absolute waste of tax payers money unless Bob wanted to do more research on his ancestry? Let’s hope Bob does an comprehensive report that is productive for this poor nation. That is we haven’t all been nuked by the time it goes to press.