The leader of the Green Party was left spluttering on Question Time as she appeared to suggest she would allow in millions of asylum seekers into Britain.
During a heated debate about the Government’s Rwanda scheme, Green leader Carla Denyer criticised the current UK approach and said the UK should have many more safe and legal routes into the country.
Asked if there would be a limit on the number accepted into Britain, Ms Denyer said: “I think it has to be decided not on an arbitrary number but on the severity of the cases”.
“If someone has a legitimate claim to asylum because they are in danger, they are being oppressed, their lives or their families are at risk…”
Fiona Bruce cut in to ask: “So no matter how great the number is with a legitimate claim, no matter how many there are they should be able to come?”
Ms Denyer dodged the question, instead talking about the need for “international cooperation”.
Ms Bruce doubled down: “As far as the Greens are concerned, just to be clear, no matter how great the number is, as long as the claim is legitimate, the Greens believe they should be able to come?”
Ms Denyer appeared stumped by this, pausing and hesitantly saying: “This isn’t a standalone policy…”
Ms Bruce tried again: “But as far as the people who have legitimate claims, who do want to come irrespective of what’s being done in their country, they can come?”
Ms Denyer spluttered at this point, with laughter heard from the audience as she floundered for an answer.
Reform UK leader Richard Tice interjected, trying to clarify: “So Carla, where are we going to put millions of people who’ve got a legitimate claim in your eyes?
“And then when they’re denied a claim, which is obviously going to happen and therefore they continue to come across on boats, what do we do then?
“You’ve set up your safe and legal routes – which by the way we’ve already got – if they get rejected and they still come across the waters, what do you do then?”
She replied: “You have to assess people’s claims…”
Mr Tice blasted: “So we’re back to square one!”
Ms Denyer later admitted that around 80 percent of asylum applications are successful, giving an indication of the number the Green Party would accept.
