“Incendiary and downright dangerous stuff - and possible contempt”
A Conservative Party MP has been slammed for comments made during PMQs, where she claimed that her office was ‘besieged by asylum seekers’ and that her staff were intimidated by young men, most of whom she said should be expelled as ‘illegal migrants’.
Jill Mortimer, who represents Hartlepool, told Rishi Sunak during Prime Minister’s questions in the House of Commons that people in her constituency of Hartlepool were “afraid and angry”.
It shows once more how the Tories are fanning the flames of division and hate in a bid to win votes.
“Every week my office is besieged by asylum seekers. My staff are intimidated by young men. The fact is, most of them are illegal migrants who should be expelled,” Mortimer said.
Mortimer continued: “Will the prime minister take action? Will he make sure enforcement is delivered? Will he make sure people who have no right to be here are expelled? Enough is enough. I want these people out of Hartlepool now.”
Her comments were condemned by campaign groups such as Best for Britain who posted on X: “Jill Mortimer MP has decided that an asylum seeker charged with a crime is in fact guilty, that most are violent, that most are not genuine, and concludes:
“I want these people out of Hartlepool now.”
“Incendiary and downright dangerous stuff – and possible contempt”
Tamsin Baxter, executive director of external affairs at the Refugee Council, condemned Mortimer’s comments and told the Guardian: “They are people whose lives were at risk and who have had to flee from the horrors of war and persecution. We would urge parliamentarians to steer clear of hostile and misleading rhetoric, which can have dangerous consequences for vulnerable people in the asylum system.”
Rosie Carter, director of policy at Hope not Hate, said: “Playing up to racist stereotypes about asylum seekers and scaremongering is simply not acceptable or responsible behaviour from an MP.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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