Diane Abbott has been accused of contradicting herself during a debate over the deportation of foreign criminals.
MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington Diane Abbott questioned the Government’s policy to deport foreign criminals “en masse” during a pandemic.
Ms Abbott stated during the debate: “Does the Minister accept that many people feel that this mass deportation is both cruel and potentially dangerous? Cruel because he is separating families of people who have served their sentence, separating families just weeks from Christmas.”
She added it is “possibly dangerous because he is deporting vulnerable people”.
“Communities we know are particularly vulnerable to coronavirus in the middle of a pandemic.”
Chris Phillip, who is currently serving as a Minister in the Home Office, defended the policy and rebutted her point by saying: “Well, the Right Honourable Lady asked about whether this is the right thing to do.
“And the answer to that questions is categorically yes, an answer she herself gave when she voted in 2007 for the Act of Parliament under which the Government is required to carry out these deportations.”
Mr Phillips’ revealed that the deportations had been happening throughout the Summer and Autumn period, adding that the removal centres were applying Covid-19 safe measures approved by the High Court.
The measures include reverse cohorting, social distancing, frequent testing and temperature checks. Lastly, he argued that MPs should prioritise the safety of their constituents over a matter such as this.
