Sunak Takes Hard Line on Immigration in Piers Morgan Interview

The prime minister has taken a tough stance on illegal immigration and voiced his support for deporting people to Rwanda, in an interview with Piers Morgan.

Rishi Sunak said those who come here illegally ‘will not be able to stay here’ and promised to speed up the asylum claims system.

When asked if the Government’s controversial plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda would ever happen, he unequivocally answered: ‘Yes’.

Today marks the PM’s 100th day in office and TalkTV’s Piers Morgan has interviewed him about his leadership so far.

Speaking from his home at No 10 Downing Street, Mr Sunak said: ‘The system that I want to introduce, is one whereby if you come here illegally, you should be swiftly detained and then – in a matter of days or weeks, not months and years – we will hear your claim and then we will safely remove you somewhere else. That’s how we’ll break the cycle.’

After Mr Morgan pressed him on how he would make this happen, Mr Sunak recited what he has already done on this issue.

He mentioned his ‘deal with the French’ to increase patrols on their beaches to prevent people on boats getting to British shores in the first place.

Thousands of migrants have made the perilous journey across the Channel (Picture: AFP)

Many activists and campaigners have protested against the Rwanda deportation plan (Picture: Shutterstock)

He said this was ‘making a difference already’ before moving onto his deal with Albania – because the European country accounts for 30% of the UK’s illegal immigrants.

Mr Morgan agreed with the PM, saying: ‘That’s ridiculous’.

Mr Sunak continued: ‘Of course that’s ridiculous. But I’ll work with the Albanians to put in place a new deal which means for people coming from Albania illegally.

‘We’ll be able to remove them safely back to Albania and that is already happening.’

He promised this would ‘ratchet up over the year’ and said new laws would be introduced to Parliament to deliver this system.

‘The system which says if you come here illegally, you’re not really going to be able to stay here,’ he added.

Mr Sunak explained further: ‘So, what that new law will say is, if you come here illegally, for an illegal migrant here, then you will not be able to stay here.

‘And, in fact, we will be able to detain you and then we will hear your claim in a matter of days or weeks – not months or years – and we will have the ability (in the vast majority of cases) to send you to an alternative safe country – be that where you come from if it’s safe, like Albania, or, indeed, Rwanda.

The full interview will air tonight at 8pm on TalkTV.

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