Marvin Rees has criticised the Government for “wholly inadequate” funding after it asked Bristol City Council to help resettle Afghans who worked with the British military.
The mayor said Bristol, as a “city of sanctuary”, wanted to take in families fleeing their homeland but that it would mean bearing the financial burden unfairly.
Last month the Government announced plans to rapidly relocate thousands more Afghans who helped UK troops over the last two decades, mostly translators, amid fears of reprisals from the Taliban as international armed forces prepare to withdraw.
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It means more than 3,000 additional people will be allowed to make Britain their home, joining 1,300 of their countrymen and women.
But speaking at a meeting of the city council’s cabinet on Tuesday (June 22), Mr Rees said: “The Government has written to local authorities across the country asking them to consider taking families of Afghan interpreters.
“We want to do this as a city, we are a city of sanctuary, and it’s a badge of city pride and national pride not only to be a city of sanctuary in general but to be a place that offers a home to those people who supported our forces overseas in particular as well.
“Unfortunately the funding model offered up by national government is wholly inadequate.
“We are, with Core Cities, writing to government, asking them to step up with adequate funding so we can do what we want to do – live up to our status as a city of sanctuary and offer a home to these people who helped keep our servicemen and women safe in their acts of service to our country.”
The Labour mayor of Bristol said it demonstrated the kind of dilemma the city faced.
“We want to do it but the resources from government are just not adequate to enable us to do it in a way we would wish,” Mr Rees added.
Responding to the comments, a Government spokesperson said: “The Government is strongly committed to fulfilling its responsibilities to current and former locally employed staff in Afghanistan.
“We will work with partners, including local authorities, to successfully relocate those who meet the eligibility requirements – providing them and their families with the opportunity to build a new life in this country.
“Participation in the scheme is voluntary. Before committing to offering any placements a local authority will need to consider whether they have, or are able to put in place, the accommodation and support needed to those relocated to the UK.”
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has previously said it was “only right” that plans to offer Afghans a home were speeded up because they might “be at risk of reprisals”.
The Government established the resettlement scheme, the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy, on April 1 but had faced criticism that it excluded some people who were dismissed by the UK military for trivial reasons.
British forces ended combat operations in Helmand seven years ago, although 750 troops were still in Afghanistan at the start of 2021.
They are now being withdrawn, while US President Joe Biden recently announced he was pulling US servicemen and women out of the country, and Nato is following suit.
