Blackpool South MP Scott Benton expresses his support for the government's Rwanda migrants plan

The MP for Blackpool South, Scott Benton has expressed vocal support for his government’s latest plan to tackle immigration, which involves sending illegal migrants to the African country Rwanda instead.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Yesterday, Parliament returned after Easter recess, and the Rwanda plan proved to be a controversial topic, but Mr Benton tells the Gazette that he supports it.

He explained: “Over the last two years, I've been inundated with emails and calls from residents who are sick and tired of what they perceive to be a soft touch from the UK Government on illegal immigration and asylum. The Rwanda plan is what we've waited for, I applaud the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary for driving this through. Crucially, it removes the pull factor of people come into the UK via illegal means.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"It's backed up by the Nationality and Borders bill, which does a number of things, for example, it increases sentences for people smugglers...and it revitalises our approach to asylum appeals. At the moment, people have endless appeals, it costs taxpayers millions every single year, and the new bill makes that a far simpler and fairer process.

Scott Benton, MP for Blackpool South, has been defending the government's Rwanda migrants plan over the Easter weekend.Scott Benton, MP for Blackpool South, has been defending the government's Rwanda migrants plan over the Easter weekend.
Scott Benton, MP for Blackpool South, has been defending the government's Rwanda migrants plan over the Easter weekend.

"The Rwandan policy, in conjunction with a Nationality and Borders bill will ensure that we are no longer a soft touch, that we can smash the people smuggling gangs, stop small boats coming across the channel, and also continue to offer safe routes to those refugees who need it most, as evidenced with those coming from Ukraine, Syria, and Hong Kong over the last few years.”

Over the Easter weekend, the MP further showed his support for the plan online, tweeting on Saturday his condemnation of the idea that civil servants may not implement the policy due to its ethical and legal implications.

Quoting a story by the Telegraph entitled ‘Priti Patel faces Home Office mutiny over Rwanda migrants plan’, he wrote: “Elected ministers decide policy, not civil servants. It’s completely unacceptable to refuse to deliver a policy which commands democratic support. Plenty of jobs in the private sector for those who feel unable to carry out their orders.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

When SNP MP Peter Grant replied: “It's not lawful and it wasn't in your election manifesto therefore you can't claim a democratic mandate for it”, Mr Benton retorted: “Taking back control of our borders was in the manifesto.”

Read More
Bank holiday crowds horrified after witnessing dog run over and killed at zebra ...

Mr Benton’s support for the Rwanda policy comes as he was fact checked earlier this month for claiming on BBC’s Politics Live that “the vast majority of people coming across the Channel are economic migrants, they are not asylum seekers. The vast majority are men between the ages of 18 and 40 coming from Iraq and Iran primarily.”

On April 4, Full Fact, an independent fact checking organisation, wrote: “There is no evidence for this. Research carried out by the Refugee Council shows the majority of nationals from the countries most represented in small boat arrivals are granted asylum. The Home Office doesn’t publish statistics covering asylum claims following small boat arrivals specifically.”

In response, Scott told the Gazette: "Full Fact is a left-wing partisan website, they're not evidence based themselves.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Full Fact actually admits that they have no proof whatsoever for their counterclaim, because they write that The Home Office doesn't publish statistics covering asylum claims following small boats arrivals, so…they can’t disprove my claim.”