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Chris Philp asked if Rwanda and Congo were different countries on Question Time (Image: BBC)
Question Time viewers were left cringing as an awkward blunder saw Tory minister Chris Philp asking if Rwanda and Congo are two different countries.
The policing minister was appearing on the popular politics show to discuss the Conservative Party’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda as they look to stop the boats crossing the channel.
The audience were seen gasping and laughing as Philp repeated the awkward gaff in front of the cameras.
The camera soon switched to fellow panelist Shadow Secretary for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting who looked at Philp with wide-eyed disbelief.
A member of the audience asked what would happen to his family from Congo (Image: BBC)
An audience member quizzed whether people coming from Congo – a country that has conflict with Rwanda – would be sent to its African neighbour.
Speaking on the programme, Philp said: “Well Rwanda is a different country from Congo isn’t it?”
The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo has seen thousands of people flee their homes.
An audience member in Tottenham addressed Philp, saying: “I come from a neighbouring country called Congo, if you know geographically that it is located right next door to Rwanda.
The audience were left stunned at Philp’s admission (Image: BBC)
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“And right now in Goma there’s a genocide going on and there’s such a big conflict going on with people from Rwanda.
“So had my family members come from Goma on a crossing right now would they be sent back to the country that they’re supposedly warring, Rwanda? Does that make sense to you?”
The minister replied: “I think there’s an exclusion on people from Rwanda being sent to Rwanda.”
To which the audience member said: “They’re not from Rwanda, they’re from Congo. And they’re supposedly warring these people with Rwanda. So are they going to be sent to Rwanda if they come here on a crossing?”
A flustered Philp said: “From Congo? well… Rwanda is a different country from Congo isn’t it?”
Wes Streeting looked shocked by the policing minister’s confusion (Image: BBC)
Philp clarified there was a “safety mechanism” in the Rwanda plan that means people would not be sent to the nation if they faced “serious and irreversable harm”.
Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney tweeted a clip from the broadcast and said: “This is not a serious government.”
Philp has been Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire, since 2022.
He previously served as Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
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