BBC Question Time viewers were left in stitches as Conservative MP Chris Philp adamantly claimed that the government’s Rwanda policy had garnered significant public support during a heated discussion on Thursday evening’s broadcast.
The episode, which covered topics ranging from the Rwanda asylum plan to Britain’s “sick note culture” and the housing market, saw Philp facing tough questioning from both presenter Fiona Bruce and the audience in Tottenham, North London.
When pressed by Bruce on the level of public backing for the Rwanda policy, Philp initially faltered before asserting, “I think in some places it is pretty popular… But this isn’t about trying to get popularity.” The response was met with uproarious laughter from the audience, prompting even Philp himself to crack a smile.
Attempting to regain his footing, Philp continued, stating, “This policy is about trying to do the right thing to make sure these people are not undertaking these dangerous [journeys], we’ve seen they are dangerous as people have died this week… We have to stop these crossings completely.” However, his attempts to justify the policy fell flat as audience members eagerly raised their hands for further interrogation.
Despite the evident skepticism from the audience in Tottenham, the Rwanda deportation scheme is poised to become law. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has hailed the initiative as an “indispensable deterrent” against Channel crossings, with the first flights scheduled to depart within the next 10 to 12 weeks.
However, Philp’s confidence waned when pressed on the practicalities of the policy later in the programme. A member of the audience expressed concerns about the potential deportation of family members from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo to Rwanda, citing the genocide in Rwanda as a factor.
Philp stumbled over his response, hesitating before stating, “Well, Congo is a different country to Rwanda, isn’t it? It’s a different country?” The blunder elicited further amusement from the audience, with one woman visibly shocked by the MP’s response.
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