Lee Anderson Says Government Should Ignore The Law And Send Asylum Seekers To Rwanda

The startling remarks came after the Supreme Court deemed the scheme to be illegal
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Lee Anderson says the government should break the law.
Matthew Horwood via Getty Images

Tory vice-chairman Lee Anderson has called on the government to “ignore the law” and send asylum seekers to Rwanda anyway.

The outspoken MP hit out after the Supreme Court ruled that the government’s policy of sending migrants to the African country was illegal.

Speaking after an emergency meeting of the right-wing New Conservatives group of Tory MPs in parliament this morning, Anderson said: “It’s a dark day for British people.

“We should just get the planes in the air right now and send them Rwanda.

“People are fed up in this country. They’re fed up of being taken for a ride and paying their taxes to people who have no right to be here and are criminals.

“The government need to show our leadership an send them back same day.“

Asked whether or not that would be breaking the law, given the Supreme Court’s judgement, Anderson replied, “What law?

“These people are coming over here and breaking laws. These people have got no right to be here.

“I think we should ignore the law and send them back same day.

There’s a reason everyone in this country locks their back door at night - because they don’t want intruders coming in. These people are intruders.”

Right-wing Conservative MPs are now piling pressure on the prime minister to say he will pass a law stating that he European Convention of Human Rights and the Refugees Convention do not apply when it comes to the Rwanda policy.

Tory MP Danny Kruger, another member of the New Conservatives group, said the row was “absolutely existential” for his party.

He said: “We promised to control our borders and to stop the boats. The court has overriden that sovereign decision for the British people.

“If this government will not step up and do whatever it takes, there is no reason for the public to trust us again.”