Watch: No Question Time Audience Member Supports Rwandan Politics

Several viewers also shook their heads at Rwandan politics. Credit: BBC

No viewer raised a hand in support of the government's policy on Rwanda during the broadcast of BBC Question Time on Thursday.

Anchor Fiona Bruce asked: «Is anyone here who supports sending people to Rwanda?”

But no members of the audience raised their hands in agreement, and several members of the audience also shook their heads.

The voice of a member of the group, believed to be Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, may have heard the words «well done», after which the audience burst into applause.

Do you support the migration plan in Rwanda? Poll

Given a chance to respond, Helen Whatley, Conservative MP and Social Security Minister, tells the audience, “This is a very complex issue.

“I think most of us feel like we want to be hospitable people and understand that people have come a long and hard way to try and get to the UK before they decide to take the small boat.< /p>

«Yes, they are in France, they have crossed several safe countries, but we know that they are from places where life is very hard.»

«Is there anyone here who supports sending people to Rwanda?»

Helen Whately of The Conservatives responds to #bbcqt audiences not supporting government policy on Rwanda by saying it's «a hard problem to solve»< br>
Join us @BBCOne after the 10 o'clock newshttps://t.co/sC3Q5q5IO5 pic.twitter.com/3uofY6IwBd

— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) June 29, 2023

She explained that she and a group of other Conservative MPs had previously driven a «donation car to a migrant camp known as the «Jungle» in Calais, where she told the young people who remained there why they wanted to come to the migrant camp. UK.

She added: “I heard their stories directly, but that doesn’t mean it’s morally right to continue with people risking their lives and paying smugglers to do it.

«We need to do something else to prevent this».

Helen Whateley claims that it is «morally wrong». accept migrants crossing the English Channel Fiona Bruce asks if the plan for Rwanda should be cancelled. Credit: BBC

Deportation flights to Rwanda were blocked by the Court of Appeal on Thursday due to «weaknesses» in its asylum system that made it unsafe and therefore illegal to send migrants to the East African state, court documents show.

In a split decision, two of the three judges ruled that there was a real risk that asylum seekers sent to Rwanda would be returned to their country where they would face persecution or other inhuman treatment in violation of Article 3 of the European Convention on human rights.

The decision was the culmination of a year-long legal battle that began last June, when a single judge behind closed doors issued a so-called rule 39 injunction blocking the first deportation flight to Rwanda at 11 a.m. .

However, Rishi Sunak is said to be «positive» about the overturning of the sentence.