A Conservative government would deport foreigners who promote extremist views on the streets of Britain, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said. Non-British citizens who back violent or militant ideas could be kicked out as part of the new plan announced by Tories today to remove 150,000 people every year.
Conservatives would create a new Removals Force modelled on the American Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, known as ICE. Mr Philp said that people who back extremist ideologies could be first in line for removal - and suggested that there could also be a ban on “marches that cause fear and intimidation”.
He said: “We don’t want the fear and intimidation on our streets. I would also say that if anyone in this country ... who is not a British citizen, expresses extremist views or supports terrorism, those are not the kind of people we want in this country, and they should be, frankly, deported.”
He was asked by Trevor Phillips on Sky News: “Would they be amongst 150,000 deportees that you’re planning?”
Mr Philp said: “Well, potentially yes, they would, we don’t want extremism. We don#t want support for terrorism in this country.
“You’re referring to our new plan, the borders plan that we’re launching today. It is a detailed and comprehensive plan to get control of this country’s borders. Labour is presiding over a border crisis. This year so far, has been the worst in history for illegal immigrants crossing the channel. We’ve seen some terrible cases of crime.
“Some of those people have gone on to commit, including, rape, including child abuse.”
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said pro-Palestine demonstrators are abusing their right to protest and that many people at the marches are “actually out to intimidate Jews”.
She told Camilla Tominey on GB News: “I think the fact that they were marching on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, shows that many of the people going on these marches are actually out to intimidate Jews and I think that that’s something that should be stopped.
“We have a right to protest in this country, but people are abusing those rights. Rights come with responsibilities.
“What I would say to what the Government has announced is: what took you so long? Every time we try to do these things in government, they opposed it.”
She added: “I always said we needed to stop that climate of intimidation and fear. What we saw were a lot of people out to get Jews – that is something that should not be happening in this country.”
Asked if the Prime Minister had blood on his hands, she said: “The fact that there are people in the Jewish community who are saying that just goes to show how much he has let them down.
“I wouldn’t use that language, but I would say that he has not done anything near enough to make Jews feel safe in this country.”