Tag Archives: John Kay

‘They Are Not Deterred’: BBC Presenter Tells Tory Minister Rwanda Plan Is Not Working

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A Tory minister was left squirming this morning as he was shown evidence that the government’s Rwanda plan is not stopping asylum seekers from crossing the Channel.

Michael Tomlinson was told the migrants were “not being deterred” despite parliament finally passing a bill which could see them being deported to the east African country.

Rishi Sunak has insisted the Safety of Rwanda Bill, which is due to become law later today, will ultimately lead to him meeting his pledge to “stop the boats” making the perilous crossing from France to the UK.

But BBC Breakfast this morning broadcast live footage of asylum seekers trying to set off on the dangerous journey.

Tomlinson, who is the minister for illegal migration, was told by presenter John Kay: “It has been the case that people crossing the Channel for a year or so have known that they could be sent to Rwanda and yet what we’re seeing right now on our screens this morning are people still prepared to take that risk. They are not deterred.”

Asylum seekers preparing to cross the Channel this morning.
Asylum seekers preparing to cross the Channel this morning.

The minister admitted: “You’re broader point is right. We haven’t stopped the boats, but the prime minister is determined to ensure that we do stop the boats and that’s why we were determined to get the bill through parliament.

“We need to see the planes get off the ground. Once we see the planes take off, then we will see the deterrent effect.”

Figures released by the Home Office yesterday showed that the numbers crossing the Channel so far this year have increased by 24% compared to the same period in 2023.

In a statement this morning, the prime minister said: “We introduced the Rwanda Bill to deter vulnerable migrants from making perilous crossings and break the business model of the criminal gangs who exploit them.

“The passing of this legislation will allow us to do that and make it very clear that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay.

“Our focus is to now get flights off the ground, and I am clear that nothing will stand in our way of doing that and saving lives.”

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‘This Was A Conservative Policy’: BBC Presenter Skewers Minister Over Tory ULEZ Hypocrisy

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A Conservative minister was left squirming after a BBC presenter highlighted the Tories’ hypocrisy over London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

Transport secretary Mark Harper was skewered by John Kay on the day the controversial scheme is expanded across the whole of the capital.

The decision by Sadiq Khan, the Labour mayor of London, has been criticised by the Tories.

But on BBC Breakfast this morning, it was pointed out to Harper that ULEZ was originally the brainchild of Boris Johnson when he had Khan’s job in 2015.

Kay told him: “There are millions of people waking up this morning inside the ULEZ charging zone in London.

“I just want to read you a quote from the mayor of London: ‘The world’s first ULEZ zone is an essential measure to help improve air quality in our city and protect the health of Londoners’.

“That was former mayor of London, Conservative Boris Johnson. This was a Conservative policy originally, however critical you are of it now.”

Harper replied: “No, the expansion of the ULEZ zone to cover the whole of Greater London is a decision by the Labour mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, supported by the Labour leader.

“If you look at the mayor’s own impact assessment, it will have a minor to negligible effect on air quality. So it’s very clear, despite what the mayor says, this isn;t about improving air quality in Greater London, it’s about raising from Londoners for him.”

Kay then went on to point out that expanding ULEZ from central London was backed during the pandemic by Harper’s predecessor as transport secretary, Grant Shapps.

He said: “It wasn’t just Boris Johnson though, was it? Former Conservative transport secretary Grant Shapps, your predecessor in your job, he wanted the congestion charge in London expanded three years ago.”

But Harper hit back: “No he didn’t, this has been put around by the Labour Party. This was about the expansion of the ULEZ to the north and south London circular area, which was something that was a manifesto commitment by the mayor.

“The government does not support the rollout of the ULEZ to the whole of Greater London – we’ve been very clear about that.”

Under ULEZ, drivers of polluting vehicles are charged £12.50 per day.

Khan has insisted that its expansion is necessary to improve air quality across the whole of London.

However, the move was blamed for Labour’s failure to win the recent Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election, which prompted Keir Starmer to urge the mayor to re-think the policy.

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