Philanthropist Steve Morgan has pledged to meet the cost of bringing 1,000 Ukrainian refugees to the UK and he’s called on the British government to ‘stop delaying’.

The founder of housebuilder Redrow says he’s been ‘moved to tears’ by the sight of more than two million Ukrainians fleeing their country following the invasion by Russia.

Mr Morgan, who has supported millions of vulnerable people since the launch of the Steve Morgan Foundation in 2001, hopes other philanthropists will follow his lead.

He said: “Watching the humanitarian crisis unfold in front of our eyes is absolutely devastating. We have to stop the suffering and Boris Johnson and Priti Patel have to stop the delays.

“Offering to sponsor 1,000 Ukrainian refugees to come to the UK through the Steve Morgan Foundation is one way we can help but we need to do more.”

Mr Morgan said it’s impossible to put a figure on how much it will cost to sponsor 1,000 refugees but he’s also pledged to pay for their accommodation costs for up to six months.

The Government is coming under increasing pressure for its slow response to the refugee crisis with chaotic scenes reported at UK visa centres across Europe.

Staff at the Steve Morgan Foundation today contacted the offices of a number of MPs for clarity on the sponsorship process and are awaiting a response.

Liverpool-born Mr Morgan said: “I felt so helpless watching the images of desperate families fleeing Ukraine that I knew I had to do something.

“The Steve Morgan Foundation hasn’t got the facilities to do it ourselves but we can meet the cost of bringing up to a 1,000 refugees to the UK. This is not the time for delays. I hope other people will do the same.”

The entrepreneur founded Redrow in 1974 but has increasingly focused his time on philanthropy through the work of the Steve Morgan Foundation, which last year distributed a record £25.8m to charities struggling with the pandemic.