Robert Jenrick could not address Andrew Castle’s concerns
Immigration minister Robert Jenrick encountered LBC’s Andrew Castle as he consistently declined to call an attorney who he declares is dealing with the Labour Party to stop migrants being deported.
The speaker blasted Jenrick’s “absolutely bizarre” efficiency throughout the toe-curling interview.
In a post in the other day’s Sun on Sunday, the minister said “a top lawyer who advised Labour on anti-racism policies is at the forefront of efforts to stop people being deported to Rwanda”.
Castle asked him: “Who is this person? Who is Sir Keir Starmer’s friend?”
Jenrick responded: “Well they’ve sat on a number of boards that are linked …”
Undeterred, the LBC speaker said: “I don’t know, Robert, what the name of this person is so we could look up the story. I wonder if you could tell us the name of this person so that we can have a good look at it?”
Trying to evade the concern, the minister reacted: “Well you can read, if you like, my op-ed in today’s Sun that talks about Sir Keir’s adviser, who sat on a number of panels with him.”
After scanning a copy of the paper, Castle said: “Sir Keir Starmer, you say in your op-ed in The Sun today page 14 ’faces serious questions about his links with charities and lawyers who’ve campaigned to thwart our work to stop the boats. Today we learn that a top lawyer has advised Labour on anti-racism policies is at the forefront of efforts to stop people being deported to Rwanda’.
″Where is the name here?”
Stumbling over his words, Jenrick said: “Er … well … it’s in the article.”
Later in the interview, Castle said: “I don’t think you’ve named this person, Sir Keir’s mate, who’s trying to thwart all your cunning plans to stop people getting the boats and coming over here.
″I don’t think you’ve named the person in this article. Either that or some sub has taken it out. So I’ll ask you again, can you just name the person that you claim in your article is stopping people being deported to Rwanda who is a mate of Sir Keir Starmer. Can you just give me the name?”
Jenrick responded: “Well it is actually named in the article.”
An increasingly-frustrated Castle said: “Where is it? What’s the name? What line? What paragraph?”
Once once again preventing the concern, the minister said: “Well I’ll send it to you so you can see it.”
Castle countered: “Why don’t you want to name that person when you say that that person’s name is in that piece and I can’t find it? Why don’t you want to name that person?”
Jenrick said: “You’ll be able to find it online if you take a look.”
However, the online version of the story does not call the secret individual either.
Castle branded the exchange “absolutely bizarre”.
Jenrick was involved in additional debate last month after he purchased paintings of Disney characters at a migration processing centre be painted over due to the fact that he said they were too inviting for refugee kids.
Stephen Kinnock, Labour’s shadow migration minister, tweeted: “The immigration minister has gone from painting over Mickey Mouse pictures to doing Mickey Mouse interviews.
“Only a professional psychologist could begin to understand Robert Jenrick’s latest malfunction.”
