Ian Hislop has denounced the government’s “tin-eared” Rwanda policy and criticised the “completely failed” asylum system.
The editor of Private Eye made fun of Robert Jenrick on BBC Question Time on Thursday as the immigration minister defended the plan.
The April-released plan by the UK government calls for “offshoring” the processing of asylum applicants to Rwanda, which is located thousands of miles away.
When questioned about the issue of trafficking migrants across the Channel in small boats, which the government has committed to crack down on, Jenrick highlighted the policy on the show, which this week was broadcast from Rugby.
But, the host of Have I Got New For You seized on his remarks.
Hislop: “I’m amazed you can still say ‘Rwanda’ with a straight face. I mean that’s an extraordinary achievement.”
Jenrick: “Ian, why do you say that?”
Hislop: “Deporting people to the scene of a former holocaust still strikes me as a bit tin-eared.”
Jenrick: “In the high court before Christmas, (it) studied all of our plans, and studied the situation in Rwanda, and concluded, not only was our policy lawful, but Rwanda is a safe country.”
The 1994 mass killing in Rwanda left 800,000 dead.
You can watch it below:
Related: Court of Appeal to reconsider whether Rwanda policy is lawful
