Blackpool South MP Scott Benton has reiterated Priti Patel’s words ‘We will not be deterred’ in a message to ITN’s Deputy Political Editor Anushka Asthana. His support for the government’s Rwanda initiative was broadcast on ITN’s flagship ‘News At Ten’ on Wednesday 15th June, following the cancellation of the first scheduled flight to the African nation minutes before take-off after an intervention by the European Court of Human Rights.
Priti Patel first used this phrase on Wednesday 15th June when she told MPs in the House of Commons that the government remained committed to sending asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda. She said that plans for future flights have begun. The Home Secretary stated. ‘We will not be deterred from doing the right thing,’
Also echoing the Home Secretary’s words, the Rwandan government said it was ‘not deterred’ by the failure of the first flight and it remained committed to the deal with the UK.
MP Benton had the day before vigorously defended the controversial sending of asylum seekers to Rwanda on the daily BBC2’s Politics Live programme (see image below).
