Oral Answers to Questions

Anum Qaisar Excerpts

Wednesday 16th November 2022 Commons Chamber

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this issue. I cannot tell him the precise read-out from the meeting—I have not seen it yet—but I can tell him that the Home Secretary’s deal and agreement with her French opposite number means a 40% increase in officers patrolling beaches in northern France; UK officers embedded with their French counterparts for the first time; investment in port security infrastructure; more technology; and more wider European co-operation. We have taken all those measures in the teeth of the opposition from the Labour Front Bench, who have opposed every single measure that we have taken to stop illegal immigration, including things where I would have thought there would be cross-party consensus, such as life sentences for traffickers who play on human misery.

[Ms Anum Qaisar (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)]

Q13. It is not trade unions that have run public services to the ground—it is the Tories. It is not asylum seekers fleeing war and famine who are inflaming tensions—it is the Tories. It is not those in low-paid jobs who are trashing the economy—again, it is the Tories. Can the Deputy Prime Minister inform the House when the Tory Government will finally accept responsibility for their economic, social and political mismanagement, rather than blaming everyone else?

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

It is not a matter of blaming anyone; it is a matter of a team effort and shared endeavour, working with the Scottish Government, to make sure that we get a grip on inflation, which is the No. 1 priority. It has to be said that if the hon. Lady takes the position that we agree with inflation-busting pay rises—as difficult as these decisions are—we will only see inflation stay for longer. That will hurt the most vulnerable in our communities, whether in Scotland or across the rest of the UK.