Home Secretary James Cleverly clarified that his assistant’s description of the Rwanda policy as “crap” was intended for dramatic impact, but he actually supports it.
During a private event in April, James Sunderland, the MP for Bracknell since 2019, expressed his thoughts by stating: “I have been involved in this for the past two years, and I am well-versed in it, and I probably should not reveal too much.
“While there are no cameras or phones recording, I must say that – the policy is crap, alright? It’s crap.”
Mr. Sunderland, who served as a parliamentary private secretary to Mr. Cleverly and his predecessor Suella Braverman, went on to defend the policy. According to the BBC, which obtained the recording, he mentioned that it aims to discourage migrants from attempting to cross the Channel.
“The focus should not solely be on the policy but rather on its impact,” he stated during the Young Conservatives event titled “Insights from the Home Office Behind the Scenes”.
In an interview with Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips show, Mr. Cleverly expressed his surprise and mentioned, “I was taken aback because I know James has been quite supportive, both personally of me and of the policy.
“After conversing with him and listening to the recording, it is evident that he deliberately made a controversial statement to captivate the audience’s attention.
“If you pay attention to his subsequent remarks, he highlights that what truly matters is the impact, the outcome. He cited the success of a similar deterrent approach in Australia.
“He also emphasized that once the initial flights begin, it will reverberate, creating a strong message to human traffickers and individuals relying on them.
“Therefore, despite his provocative choice of words aimed at dramatic effect, as depicted in the recording, he is fully in favor of the deterrence achieved by the Rwanda policy.”
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In November, Mr. Cleverly faced allegations suggesting he had privately referred to the Rwanda strategy as “absurd”.
When asked about this claim, he denied it while speaking to Trevor Phillips: “No. While I have expressed occasional frustration with the policy, it was primarily due to the excessive focus on it over other effective measures.
“The Rwanda policy is significant, but it should be viewed as part of a comprehensive strategy, including our return agreements with various countries like Albania, as well as the establishment of an operational command for dealing with small boat activities.”
The candidates running in Bracknell include:
Olivio Barreto, Independent
Katie Mansfield, Liberal Democrats
Jason Peter Reardon, Heritage Party
Peter Swallow, Labour Party
Emily Torode, Green Party
Malcolm Tullett, Reform UK
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