A Conservative MP has blamed asylum seekers for severe problems in the NHS, schools and social housing – 12 years after his party came to power.
Tom Hunt claimed “uncontrolled illegal immigration” lay behind shortages of GPs, schools places and low-cost homes, as he defended the policy of deporting refugees to Rwanda.
He also argued “elite society” was leading the opposition to the Rwanda plan – despite having attended a £35,000-a-year private school and Oxford University.
The Ipswich MP was asked if he believed the vast cost of the deportations – kept secret by Priti Patel – was “good value for money”, leaving aside the morality of the scheme.
He replied: “What’s the financial cost of having a never-ending situation where we have tens of thousands of people potentially ending up here illegally every year and the pressure that puts on our public services?
“Many of the most vocal critics have been from elite society and, frankly, have never had to live with the consequences of uncontrolled immigration.”
Mr Hunt was asked what he meant by “elite society”, pointing to “some of those bishops” who have signed a joint letter condemning Boris Johnson for the move.
And he added: “It’s quite clear that some of the most vocal critics of this – who’ve been the most hysterical over this policy – have been individuals who have never had to live with the consequences of uncontrolled immigration and the impact that has on public services.
“They’ve never had to wait for a GP appointment. They’ve never had to battle to get a school place for a child. They’ve never had to face a battle to get a council house, so I do find it a bit rich to be hearing lectures from them.”
The comments come as pressure grows on the government over the quality of public services – several years after it declared the years of austerity are over.
Sajid Javid, the health secretary, admitted last year that that the government is likely to break its manifesto promise to increase the number of GPs in England by 6,000.
Meanwhile, per-pupil school spending in England fell by 9 per cent over the decade to 2020 – and would have been £16bn higher without that austerity, independent experts say.
And Michael Gove, the levelling up secretary, admitted his government had “failed” to build enough social housing, even before Boris Johnson’s housing package fell flat last week.
On the BBC’s Politics Live programme, the Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson told Mr Hunt that Rwanda deportations were “utterly immoral and far too expensive”.
“What we need to be doing is focusing on safe and legal routes to in order to deter the traffickers,” she said – warning the policy will “encourage the traffickers to bring women and children over here”.
“Everything we’ve seen Priti Patel do so far on this issue has not worked and I have no confidence that this would have any impact.”
