'Man's just voted to recognise Rwanda as a safe country, while clearly not knowing about its violent relationship with its neighbour. Or that it has a neighbour'
Policing Minister Chris Philp has faced widespread ridicule after making a colossal misstep on BBC’s Question Time when he asked if the Congo is a different country to Rwanda.
Answering a question from an audience member on BBC Question Time on Thursday evening, the Crime and Policing Minister appeared to get confused as he questioned whether the two were different countries.
During the show, the Tory minister was probed about the government’s Rwanda bill which puts asylum seekers at risk of being deported to the east African country. One audience member asked whether refugees fleeing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo would be sent to neighbouring Rwanda, where they may be in danger.
The audience member asked the Tory MP: “Right now, in Goma, there is a genocide going on, and there’s such a big conflict going on with people from Rwanda.
“So, had my family members come from Goma on a crossing right now, would they then be sent back to the country that they’re supposedly warring, Rwanda?”
Philp replied “I think there’s an exclusion for people from Rwanda being sent to Rwanda”, to which the audience member had to correct him, and repeated that his family are from the Congo, not Rwanda.
Philp, who seemed confused by the question, said: “Rwanda is a different country from Congo isn’t it?”
Memes a-plenty have arisen in the aftermath of the Tory Ministers comment, including fellow panelist Wes Streeting’s side-eye and the incredulous reactions from audience members, images of which have been compared to a renaissance painting. The Labour shadow Health Secretary and the Liberal Democrats went on to share a map of the region on X to offer Philp some clarity.
One X user wrote: “Man’s just voted to recognise Rwanda as a safe country, while clearly not knowing about its violent relationship with its neighbour. Or that it has a neighbour.”
Another viewer said: “What does one even say?! I’ve had the unfortunate experience of being on telly with this guy, and he is perpetually arrogant in his ignorance.”
Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney responded to the footage: “This is not a serious government.”
Labour MP David Lammy said: “Chris Philp, you can’t come to Tottenham with this foolishness and expect not to be served an education. It’s time to boot these Tories out of office.”
Editor Paul Brand highlighted: “They aren’t just different countries, they are bitter and sometimes violent neighbours. Cross-border attacks have been one of the most pressing issues in the region in the past couple of years.”
Politico were told by an ally of Philp that he was ‘speaking rhetorically’ and not actually asking the question. I guess we can make our own minds up on this one.
(Image credit: BBC Question Time screenshot)
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward
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