Former Prime Minister Theresa May’s constituency was incorrectly assigned to Diane Abbott, according to Labour MPs.
Diane Abbott pressed Home Secretary Priti Patel on her planned immigration policy, which would send asylum claimants coming to the UK to Rwanda to have their claims assessed. Ms Abbott pointed out that Ms Patel’s previous party leader and predecessor at the Home Office, Theresa May, has stated that she will not back her agenda. However, when referring to Mrs May, the Hackney MP was corrected by the Labour Party’s backbenches for misnaming the former Prime Minister’s constituency.
Ms Abbott remarked in the Commons to Under-Secretary Tom Pursglove, “The minister claims that the Rwanda scheme will be a way of diminishing the small boats crossing the Channel.
“But he will be aware that there is at least one member of this House who doesn’t support his scheme.
“And that is the member for Maidstone, who is a former prime minister…”
She was then cut off as several MPs corrected her: “Maidenhead.”
Ms Abbott resumed: “Maidenhead! Who is a former Prime Minister but also a former Home Secretary?
“Can he explain to the House why he disagrees with his colleague?
“And what makes him so sure that his scheme will not fall in the courts?”
Mrs May stated last week that she would not support Priti Patel’s programme due to worries that the new processing technique would split families and increase trafficking.
Mr Pursglove replied: “I have huge respect and admiration for my right honourable friend, the member for Maidenhead.
“The bottom line here is that there is no one single intervention that will resolve this issue of itself, but we must strain every sinew.
“We believe that this is an important policy intervention that will shift the dynamic, that will help to preserve lives. And that is a fundamental imperative.
“You cannot put a cost on that. I am convinced that this policy will deliver along with the wider package of measures that we are introducing.”
He added: “I would encourage her to be in the right division lobby this week and pass the Bill into law.”
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