Scottish National Party politician Kirsty Blackman shocked radio host Nicky Campbell into silence, as she declared “limitless immigration” for an independent Scotland.
Appearing on BBC Radio 5 Live, Blackman reacted to the UK government’s Rwanda Bill, which won in the House of Commons on Tuesday.
The Safety of Rwanda Bill won 313 votes to 269 in its second reading, securing a 44 majority.
37 Tory MPs abstained on the vote, including former Home Secretary Suella Braverman and former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick.
Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda Bill won in the House of Commons with a 44 majority
PA
A Tory spokesman said after the result that it was “the toughest legislation ever introduced to parliament”.
In a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter, Sunak said: “The British people should decide who gets to come to this country – not criminal gangs or foreign courts.
“That’s what this Bill delivers. We will now work to make it law so that we can get flights going to Rwanda and stop the boats.”
Reacting to the ruling, Blackman suggested that policy was built on immigration being “bad for the UK”.
Blackman told BBC Radio 5 Live host Nicky Campbell: “The whole idea of whole Rwanda scheme, all of this is built on a premise that immigration is bad, right? The whole idea, the whole trying to win votes on.
“This only works if you start from the premise that immigration is a bad thing, and that we shouldn’t have it, and that we need to reduce it and that we need to stop people coming here.”
Campbell interrupted Blackman, stating: “1.2 million I think it was, net immigration over the last couple of years?”
Blackman replied: “Which includes students by the way.”
Kirsty Blackman claimed an independent Scotland would have ‘no limit’ on immigration
Wikimedia Commons
Campbell then argued: “Many of whom don’t go back and bring their families.”
Blackman responded: “Many do go back. And when they do go back they’re much more likely to, when they become successful and get jobs in other countries, they’re much more likely to do things like invest in the UK.
“I mean the proof is there that if you spend some time in your formative years in a country, you’re more likely to keep up links with that country and invest in that country and use companies and that.”
Campbell then asked: “Would an independent Scotland have a cap on immigration?”, to which Blackman simply stated “no”.
Campbell was stunned into silence, as he proceeded to conclude the interview.
