'It Is A PROBLEM!' - Tory Minister Mistakes Congo And Rwanda For Same Country On Question Time

Policing minister Chris Philp appeared to confuse the countries of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Question Time.

Responding to an audience member’s question during the BBC One programme, the MP for Croydon South seemed to ask whether “Rwanda is a different country to Congo”.

The audience member, who said he came from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, asked: “Had my family members come from Goma (a city on the country’s border) on a crossing right now, would they then be sent back to the country they are supposedly warring – Rwanda?

“Does that make any sense to you?”

Mr Philp replied: “No, I think there’s an exclusion on people from Rwanda being sent to Rwanda.”

After the audience member objected that his parents were “not from Rwanda”, the Conservative MP appeared to ask: “Well, I mean, Rwanda is a different country to Congo isn’t it?

“It’s a different country?”

The comment caused a short outburst of laughter from some members of the debate programme’s audience as shadow health secretary Wes Streeting’s eyes darted around the room.

Former Labour adviser Richard Power Sayeed says Mr Philp's answer shows that the Rwanda scheme is "fundamentally flawed".

[JanisDavis-bv]

I love it when a member of the audience can absolutely show how pathetic our MP’s are

[rayclarke]

The incompetence of our mp's is astounding

[JOzzie-uz]

Just so you know guys Rwanda has only agreed to take 200 people not 5000 a year like rishi sunak Would like you to believe

[LeeLondon]

Reems voice goes through me, Iike nails down a snotty blackboard.

[kathrynburgess]

The level of intelligence and ignorance within these parties is spectacular.

[laurencemorgan]

Torries really are a different breed 😮

[michaelc]

Shows, they don't anything. People in positions who are not fit for purpose.

[prideofdurham]

300 immigrants out
300 Rwandans back
£1.8 Million each.
Immigrants still say they will come.
"Worth it" says James not-so- Cleverly.😃

[duncansmith]

yet more evidence that standards across the board have fallen to absurd lows in the UK.

[Phatthana]

Amnesty Amnesty Amnesty that's the end game the government will HAVE to admit soon plus more and more to come. easy touch UK

[michaelc]

Look on the map where Rwanda is. Look at Rwanda history. They will be deported there, then they will start their journey all over again and npbe back here next year...Sunak needs to go to Rwanda.

[spiritbaby]

I’m voting Reform now, and if they don’t sort it I give up. My family are mixed race, I’ve no problem with foreigners but we live on a tiny island & we do not want Sharia law. Why don’t they run to Iran????

[RockWomble-br]

The only question is WHY do you want to come to the UK
If its family.. great, you can stay with them and they can give you money.

This isnt funny
This is pathetic

[stephenjon]

He probably thinks Um bongo is a country too.

[casperh]

Mr. Philp is England Scotland Wales and Ireland the same country ???

[MartySparks-yx]

Didn't Therese Coffey think Kigali was a country and made a similar fool of herself in the Commons?

[micktaylor]

Tells you all you need to know about our MP's. What a pathetic bunch of clowns.

[DermotMacNeill]

It’s not the first time Theresa Coffey thought Kigali and Rwanda were different Country’s ask Yvette Cooper 😂

[sitruchtims]

"vibes between those two countries is really terrible" where on earth do you find these pundits? We're speaking about waring factions.

[DanTheMan-yxvw]

So apparently we have to take everyone from everywhere and it becomes our problem 🙄 it's getting boring now - at some point we'll need a political class with a backbone to just say "no more"