Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda

Rachael Maskell Excerpts

Wednesday 15th June 2022 Commons Chamber

[Priti Patel]

I completely agree with my hon. Friend and the conviction with which he has just spoken.

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

On the Home Secretary’s watch, the number of people coming to our country through very dangerous routes has increased. She talks about trying to address the issues with people smugglers, but by closing off safe routes she is pushing people into the hands of people traffickers, making everybody’s life more unsafe. When will she recognise the failure of her policy?

[Priti Patel]

I could refer the hon. Lady to my earlier statement, but it is always worth reminding colleagues in the House that for many years now there has been a global migration crisis. That is a fact, and every country around the world is speaking about it, not just in Europe, but over in America—even the American Administration are looking at similar policies. Tackling illegal migration requires new solutions. That is effectively what we are doing, because we know that existing approaches have not worked. It means that we work with all our counterparts, which is the right thing to do; it also means that change is needed. We know that people are dying, and that is what we want to stop.