BBC Question Time: Kettering audience member blasts MP in refugee row
The iconic panel programme returned to screens last night (March 17) with the show recording in Kettering
Jack Walters
'Start listening!' BBC Question Time audience member blasts Tory MP over refugee policy (Image: BBC)
A BBC Question Time audience member in Northamptonshire has blasted a Conservative MP over the Government's refugee policy. The flagship TV panel programme returned to screens last night with an episode in Kettering.
Host Fiona Bruce was joined by a star-studded panel of political experts, including Tory MP and Attorney General Suella Braverman. However Ms Braverman, who has represented residents in the safe-seat of Fareham in the Commons since 2015, came under fire from one audience member.
It was after she claimed the UK had a good track record on welcoming refugees, reports the Daily Express. The audience member said: "I don't know where Suella is coming from.
READ MORE: For the latest Northants Live stories on Kettering, visit our dedicated local news channel
"I completely agree with Wes [Streeting] that the whole system the Conservatives have set up is designed to exclude refugees from coming to the country.
"They're bringing in legislation to say that if you've passed through a safe country you have to go back to that country.
"Everything they do seems designed for us not to take refugees and yet 120,000 people have said 'yes, we want to open our homes to refugees'."
She added the Conservative Party needs to "start listening to what we are saying", arguing Brits want to take in refugees from other countries outside of Ukraine.
The lady also voiced concern about the checks refugees needed to pass.
The Brexit-backing MP responded by saying: "I'm sorry but that is not in line with the security advice we have.
"It is really important that we do carry out these checks before they get here because if they don't pass the standards then it's very hard to remove people who are here illegally."
Tory MP and Attorney General Suella Braverman (Image: Getty)
Ms Braverman added: "God forbid we drop the checks because there's political pressure and ambitious MPs are making political footballs out of this issue, and someone gets through illegally and then they carry out an attack on British soil, something which is devastating.
"Everyone here would be rightly outraged that we dropped checks and we allowed someone to slip through the net.
"I'm not willing to take that chance on British people's security.
"It's right that we have checks, it's right that we offer a warm welcome for refugees, but we need to do it right."
Labour's Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting then challenged Ms Braverman on not considering the security threat when putting Lord Lebedev in the House of Lords.
Lord Lebedev, a Russian-born businessman and majority owner of the Evening Standard, was elevated to the Upper House in December 2020.
Ex-Downing Street aide and Vote Leave supremo Dominic Cummings has alleged Boris Johnson overlooked security advice to make Lebedev a Lord.
However, Ms Braverman claimed Mr Streeting did not have "cogent" evidence before "casting aspersions".
Reverend Richard Coles was also on the BBC panel (Image: BBC)
She went on to warn it is unfair to throw around "reckless accusations" and stressed the need to not treat all Russians as a threat.
Ms Braverman and Mr Streeting appeared on Question Time alongside Ukrainian politician Lesia Vasylenko, Reverend Richard Coles and the ex-Daily Telegraph editor Max Hastings.
BBC Question Time will air again next Thursday from Reading in Berkshire.
DPD drivers kidnapped by crafty crooks dressed as police officers
Northamptonshire has ultimate say on 'Gran, Granny or Nan' debate
NorthamptonNorthampton market traders and customers mark 'end of an era' on last day in Market Square 'If Northampton doesn't have a market, what has it got?'