Sir Keir Starmer has labeled Rishi Sunak a “Mr Nobody” who “doesn’t understand Britain” as he clashes over the Government’s Rwanda asylum plan.
The Labor leader accused the Prime Minister of not believing in Rwanda’s “trick” and highlighted reports that Mr Sunak had reservations about the policy before taking on his current role.
He went on to claim that Mr Sunak’s Government was “blissfully uninterested” in what was happening in the country beyond Westminster.
Mr Sunak countered that Sir Keir had “no plan” for the country, adding: “Stay with us to deliver the long-term change the country needs – don’t go back down the same path as him.”
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir said: “An ambitious Conservative MP had reservations when Boris Johnson claimed he would send refugees to Rwanda in 2022.
“He agreed with Labor that it wouldn’t work. It was a waste of money, the latest in a long line of cheating. “Does the Prime Minister know what happened to that MP?”
Mr. Sunak gave the following answer: “What he means is a document that he has not seen, that I have not seen, and that was published second-hand in some media newspapers.
“But all I can say to him is that I am absolutely clear that you have to stop the boats and that is what this Government and that MP will offer.”
Sir Keir said Mr Sunak had been “caught red-handed opposing what he has now made his flagship policy”, adding: “I noticed he didn’t deny it. I’m not at all surprised – £400m of taxpayers’ money wasted, no-one sent to Rwanda , small boats are still coming.
“It’s no surprise that he wants to scrap this plan while he’s trying to sneak in as the leader of the Conservative Party.”
The Prime Minister responded: “I have always been very clear: To finally solve this problem, you need effective deterrence. In fact, the National Crime Agency agrees that you need what they call an effective removal and deterrence agreement. “That’s why, after I became Prime Minister, I negotiated a new agreement with Albania, thanks to which we saw a 93% drop in illegal entries from Albania.”
After listing similar plans from other nations, Mr Sunak added: “He (Sir Keir) is the only one who opposes a proper deterrent, not because it doesn’t work, but because he doesn’t actually believe in controlling immigration.”
Sir Keir said Labour’s plan aims to “crack up gangs, deal with allegations and end hotel use” and said of Mr Sunak: “Last year he started the year saying he was ‘Mr Constant’; later in his lecture he was ‘Mr Change’; now he’s back to ‘Mr. More of the Same,’ no matter how many reboots or reversals he does, he’ll always be ‘Mr. Nobody.'”
The Labor leader also pressed Mr Sunak to stop acting like “up is down, black is white” and admit he has “failed” on the economy, immigration and the NHS.
Mr Sunak defended the Government’s record and added Sir Keir: “He mentioned hotels – the first 50 are closing and there are more to come.”
He added: “If he cares about breaking up the gangs, why doesn’t he acknowledge the fact that when it comes to the Citizenship and Borders Act, he has blocked, delayed and voted against the powers in that Act that allow us to now have hundreds of people linked to this illegal trade jailed for hundreds of years?” arrest people.
“He opposed it because he always chose criminal gangs over the British people.”
Sir Keir accused the Conservatives of “losing control of the borders” before highlighting concerns about dentistry, flood protection and children not going to school.
The Labor leader said: “His government appears utterly uninterested in what goes on outside the walls of Westminster.”
Mr Sunak defended the Government’s record on schools, adding: “It’s always the same; there’s no plan, he’s just selling one thing to his union friends and another to the British people.”
Sir Keir countered: “New year, new nonsense. He stands here every week and tells the country they should thank him instead of questioning him.
“Point out that the view on the ground is very different from the view in his private jet, and he says you underestimate the country. He doesn’t understand this, he doesn’t understand what a cost of living crisis feels like.
“He doesn’t know a school where kids don’t come anymore and he doesn’t understand what it’s like to wait for a hospital appointment.
“Doesn’t the country deserve far better than a Prime Minister who doesn’t understand Britain?”
Mr Sunak accused Sir Keir of failing to deliver “a single new idea” in a recent speech, adding: “We’ve had four years as Labor leader and it’s still all slogans, no plan.”
Pointing to the government’s measures on taxes, immigration and welfare reform, he added: “It’s clear that you must stay with us to deliver the long-term change the country needs – don’t go back down the same path as him.”