This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68903573
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 3 | Version 4 |
---|---|
Did Chris Philp confuse Rwanda and Congo on Question Time? | Did Chris Philp confuse Rwanda and Congo on Question Time? |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Watch: 'Congo is a different country to Rwanda, isn't?' - Chris Philp MP | Watch: 'Congo is a different country to Rwanda, isn't?' - Chris Philp MP |
Watch: 'Congo is a different country to Rwanda, isn't?' - Chris Philp MP | Watch: 'Congo is a different country to Rwanda, isn't?' - Chris Philp MP |
Opposition parties have criticised Home Office minister Chris Philp for appearing to confuse two African countries on BBC Question Time. | |
An audience member from the Democratic Republic of the Congo asked about the government's new law on deporting some asylum seekers to Rwanda. | An audience member from the Democratic Republic of the Congo asked about the government's new law on deporting some asylum seekers to Rwanda. |
Responding, policing minister Mr Philp appeared to ask if Rwanda and Congo were different countries. | |
An ally later suggested he had been posing a rhetorical question. | An ally later suggested he had been posing a rhetorical question. |
The government's Rwanda bill became law on Thursday, and says any asylum seeker entering the UK "illegally" after 1 January 2022 from a safe country, could be sent on a one-way flight to Rwanda. | The government's Rwanda bill became law on Thursday, and says any asylum seeker entering the UK "illegally" after 1 January 2022 from a safe country, could be sent on a one-way flight to Rwanda. |
The audience member pointed out that there had been recent conflict between Congo and neighbouring Rwanda and a long history of violence. | The audience member pointed out that there had been recent conflict between Congo and neighbouring Rwanda and a long history of violence. |
He asked: "Had my family members come from Goma (a city on the DR Congo's border with Rwanda) on a crossing right now, would they then be sent back to the country they are supposedly warring - Rwanda? | He asked: "Had my family members come from Goma (a city on the DR Congo's border with Rwanda) on a crossing right now, would they then be sent back to the country they are supposedly warring - Rwanda? |
"Does that make any sense to you?" | "Does that make any sense to you?" |
Mr Philp replied: "No, I think there's an exclusion on people from Rwanda being sent to Rwanda." | |
After the audience member objected that his parents were "not from Rwanda", the minister said: "Well, I mean, Rwanda is a different country to Congo isn't it? | After the audience member objected that his parents were "not from Rwanda", the minister said: "Well, I mean, Rwanda is a different country to Congo isn't it? |
"It's a different country?" | "It's a different country?" |
The comment caused a short outburst of laughter from some members of the debate programme's audience as Labour's shadow health secretary Wes Streeting's eyes darted around the room. | The comment caused a short outburst of laughter from some members of the debate programme's audience as Labour's shadow health secretary Wes Streeting's eyes darted around the room. |
Mr Philp continued: "There is a clause in the legislation that says if somebody would suffer, I think the phrase is 'serious and irreversible harm' by being sent somewhere, they wouldn't be sent. | Mr Philp continued: "There is a clause in the legislation that says if somebody would suffer, I think the phrase is 'serious and irreversible harm' by being sent somewhere, they wouldn't be sent. |
"So there is that safety mechanism built into the legislation." | "So there is that safety mechanism built into the legislation." |
Labour's shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock said the government was sending £576m to a country they "couldn't even pick out on a map". The Liberal Democrats' Sarah Olney said it showed this was "not a serious government". | Labour's shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock said the government was sending £576m to a country they "couldn't even pick out on a map". The Liberal Democrats' Sarah Olney said it showed this was "not a serious government". |
An ally of Mr Philp suggested the minister had been asking a rhetorical question, rather than a real one, as he tried to clarify what he had been asked. | An ally of Mr Philp suggested the minister had been asking a rhetorical question, rather than a real one, as he tried to clarify what he had been asked. |
You can watch the latest episode of Question Time, which was recorded in Tottenham, north London, here. | You can watch the latest episode of Question Time, which was recorded in Tottenham, north London, here. |
Related Topics | Related Topics |
Rwanda | Rwanda |