John Major criticises Rwanda asylum plan as ‘un-Conservative and un-British’
John Major has expressed his disapproval of the previous Conservative government's Rwanda plan, stating that it was inappropriate for modern times and described it as both “un-Conservative and un-British.”
The former Tory prime minister voiced his disappointment regarding society's perception of immigration as a negative issue. He also remarked that he doubted the effectiveness of the policy in deterring people from immigrating.
In July, shortly after becoming prime minister, Keir Starmer took a decisive step by eliminating a contentious plan that the Conservatives had thought would discourage asylum seekers. This policy involved sending individuals who entered the UK unlawfully to an east African nation.
Major remarked, “Are they really claiming that people in some remote area of a North African country are aware of what the British Parliament has enacted? I doubt it.”
He mentioned that individuals who arrived in the UK by small boats did so out of uncertainty about their next destination.
On Monday, the Labour Party revealed that the funds originally set aside for the previous administration's Rwanda plan will now be directed to the Border Security Command.
Major commented on the Rwanda plan, stating, “I found it to be against Conservative values, contrary to British principles, and if I may add in a secular context, un-Christian and morally wrong. I believe this is not an acceptable way to treat individuals.”
In a conversation with Amol Rajan from the BBC, he remarked, "Back almost 300 years ago, we used to send people from our nation. These were criminals who, at the very least, had gone through a trial and were declared guilty of a crime, even if that trial was not very thorough."
"I believe that transportation, as we know it, isn't the right approach for the 21st century."
John Major, who was prime minister from November 1990 until May 1997, stated that he has not yet chosen which candidate in the Tory leadership race to back. The candidates still in the running are Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, and Tom Tugendhat.
He expressed his desire for the Conservatives to regain members who are truly center-right. He also warned that a merger with Reform UK would be disastrous for the party.
Looking back at the candidates vying for Conservative leadership, he mentioned: “I want to back someone who will tackle long-term issues and provide guidance on our future path, also bringing back individuals who truly align with center-right values into the party.”
He stated, "The only party that can genuinely attract those in the center-right is the Conservative party. It's essential for us to figure out where our true support comes from and reach out to them."
"Some individuals might have misunderstood the outcome of the recent election. We lost five seats to Reform UK, and while people are reacting strongly, a few impulsive voices are suggesting that we should join forces with them. This could be a disastrous move."
When questioned about whether Nigel Farage should become a member of the Conservative party, Major expressed that he did not agree with that opinion.
He mentioned, "I don’t consider him a Conservative. Over the past few years, he has largely focused on expressing his disdain for the Conservative party and his desire to undermine it. I don’t believe that’s a very solid foundation for someone joining the party."
At the same time, Badenoch, who many polls suggest is the preferred choice among Conservative members to take over from Rishi Sunak as the party leader, referred to supporters of Reform UK as "our people."
In an interview with GB News, she remarked, “I believe one of the missteps we took was giving Reform voters the impression that they didn’t belong with us. They are, in fact, part of our group. A significant number of those who chose Reform have been loyal Conservative voters for many years.”
She added, “One instance that definitely left an impact was when we took away the whip from Lee Anderson. I believe that was an error.”
Anderson lost the Conservative whip after he declined to retract comments he made about Sadiq Khan on GB News, which the London mayor labelled as “Islamophobic, anti-Muslim, and racist.”
Badenoch mentioned that she informed the chief whip, “This is a terrible decision. It’s a significant error and it’s sparked a reaction. Essentially, we are signaling that we want to exclude individuals like this.”
She commended Farage for being a "disruptor," but stated that he wouldn't be accepted into the Tory party since "he's made it clear that he aims to dismantle the Conservative party, so I'm guessing that's a definite no."
