Small Boat Crossings
Debate between Angela Eagle and Connor Naismith(2 weeks, 3 days ago)
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Dame Angela Eagle
The way to deter the small boat crossings is to deal with those who are organising and profiting from that immoral trade. That is what we are doing.
Connor Naismith (Crewe and Nantwich) (Lab)
The shadow Home Secretary, the right hon. Member for Croydon South (Chris Philp), and Conservative Members are still banging the drum for the failed Rwanda gimmick. Does the Minister agree that if the previous Government were so confident that that policy would work, they would not have called an election before that theory could be put to the test?
Dame Angela Eagle
My hon. Friend makes an intriguing point, given that Conservative Members have said repeatedly that they were about to start the Rwanda scheme the week after the election, and that all of a sudden it would work and be perfect—after 83,500 people crossed in small boats knowing that the scheme was legislated for and in place. I suspect, somehow, that the date of the election might have had a bit to do with the fact that they realised the Rwanda scheme would fail.