Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Keir Starmer and Rupert Lowe

Wednesday 24th July 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I welcome my hon. Friend to his place. He is the first ever Labour MP for Chipping Barnet, and I know that he will serve his constituency with pride.

Our guarantee will put 13,000 extra neighbourhood officers and police community support officers back on Britain’s streets, and that is a fully funded plan. My hon. Friend is right to say that the last Government absolutely hammered police numbers and he will have seen the impact of that in his constituency. It is telling that the former Justice Secretary said at the weekend that that could perhaps have been done differently. I am glad to see that the people of Chipping Barnet agreed with that assessment and returned my hon. Friend for that constituency.

[Rupert Lowe (Great Yarmouth) (Reform)]

Q7. My constituents in Great Yarmouth have little doubt that uncontrolled legal and illegal immigration since 1997 has damaged and disrupted their community and undermined their public services. Does the Prime Minister agree that importing millions of people with no thought whatever to the brutal consequences has failed our country? I know the good people of Great Yarmouth would much appreciate a yes or no answer to this straightforward question.

[The Prime Minister]

I am not sure that I agree with the hon. Member’s numbers, but I do think that it is serious that the previous Government lost control of our borders. Record numbers have crossed the channel. When the Leader of the Opposition was Prime Minister for 18 months, 50,000 people crossed the channel. It is a serious issue that requires a serious answer, which is why we will set up our border security command to take down the gangs that are running this vile trade. What we will not do is waste further time on a gimmick that cost a fortune and removed just four volunteers.