BUSINESS minister Greg Hands has defended the Government’s new immigration policy and instead it WILL prove to be effective.
Mr Hands said the Government was taking action to curb the numbers of people crossing the channel and to prevent deaths.
In an interview he told GB News: “Last year, 28,500 people entered the country illegally across the channel from France and 27 people died in that process. Clearly the government has to take action.
“That is why we’ve done this agreement with Rwanda, two sovereign countries making this agreement and we think it will be effective in deterring people from making that perilous journey and clamping down in particular on the people smugglers who are profiting. profiting too much from human misery in making that journey.”
He made his comments this morning on Breakfast with GB News this morning.
Mr Hands added: “What we do want to take action on is illegal migration – in the UK we’ve got a good tradition of providing sanctuary to those fleeing conflict. What we don’t want to have is illegal migration.
“The numbers that we’ve seen are 28,500 people last year compared to just 300 in 2018, making that cross channel journey – a 100 times increase, inevitably the government is taking action.”
Asked later about the fallout from the Partygate scandal, he defended the Prime Minister and said he was “unaware” of rumours about a vote of no confidence.
“Well, I’ve heard nothing of that,” he responded. “What I do know is the Prime Minister will be appearing in the commons. He appears very often actually more than I think any other Prime Minister I can remember.
“I’ve served as an MP uner five different prime ministers and Boris Johnson appears more than any of them.
“In the House of Commons later this week, [he will] answer questions from MPs to explain what has happened, the fact that he has apologised, he’s paid the fine, he’s expressed regret at what has happened.
“But equally I think he wants to outline how he’s getting on with the job and how the government is getting on with the job and how the government is delivering for the people in this country.”
Mr Hands added: “Anything from the vaccination programme through to taking the tough action on Ukraine and sanctions and Russia all of these things, I think he’s looking forward.
“I’m sure he’s relishing the chance to be back in the commons explaining to MPs.
“The Prime Minister I’m sure has never knowingly misled parliament and he will explain everything that’s happened.
“I think that is what he said very clearly ,to give him the chance to explain in the House of Commons to MPs what has happened but I just stress again that he has apologised, he said that mistakes are made.”
