THE SNP's Stephen Flynn has accused the Tories and Labour of a “race to the bottom” over migration policy and called for the parties to show “more humanity”.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, the party's Westminster leader challenged Rishi Sunak to outline how a child refugee seeking to flee Sudan would be able to find a safe and legal route to the UK.
When Sunak responded the UK Government was working to evacuate British nationals from the war-torn country, he said the Prime Minister had confirmed there was no safe and legal route.
🗣️ 'We need some more humanity in this debate rather than the race to the bottom which we see here today'@StephenFlynnSNP asks Rishi Sunak to outline the 'safe and legal route' for a child from Sudan seeking to come to the UK pic.twitter.com/pwez26fHNz
— The National (@ScotNational) April 26, 2023
Flynn said: “To be clear, I think everyone in the House is aware of this, children in Sudan are already dying.
"Whether it is a Tory slogan to stop the boats, or a Labour slogan to stop small boats, we need some more humanity in this debate, rather than the race to the bottom which we see here today.”
“So, can I ask the Prime Minister now that he has confirmed that there is no safe legal route, will he therefore confirm that it would be his Government’s intention to detain and deport a child refugee who flees Sudan and comes to the United Kingdom?”
READ MORE: LIVE: Updates as MPs debate the Illegal Migration Bill vote
Sunak said: “We have invested almost £250 million in humanitarian support in Sudan over the past five years.
“He does it always, but, actually, this country has a proud record of compassionately supporting those who need our assistance.
“Just over the last few years, we have welcomed almost half a million vulnerable people to our country, including many children.”
The clash came as the remaining stages of the Tories controversial bill to stop people crossing the Channel in small boats – which the Equality and Human Rights Commission has warned breaches the UK’s human rights obligations – will be debated in the Commons today.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused the Prime Minister of being out of touch with working people, labelling him “Mr 24 tax rises”.
He said: “So out of touch that he looks at a petrol pump and a debit card like they’ve just arrived from Mars.”
He went on: “Is it any wonder that he smiles his way through the cost-of-living crisis while putting other people’s taxes up? Is it any wonder he doesn’t have a clue how food prices are hammering families across country, and is it any wonder that under him people are paying more and more and getting less and less?”
The Prime Minister responded by laying out Labour’s recent record in Parliament, telling MPs: “Let’s just look at what’s happened just in this week, where the Labour Party have put themselves.
“On Monday in the House of Lords they decided to side with extremist protesters, just yesterday they sided with polluters, and tonight we will see them siding with the people smugglers.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel