UK Minister Chris Philp Confuses Rwanda and Congo in Question Time Debate on Rwanda Deportation Policy

A UK minister, Chris Philp, made an error during a BBC Question Time discussion about the government's Rwanda deportation policy.

When asked about asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) being sent back to Rwanda, which is a neighboring country with ongoing conflicts, Philp mistakenly referred to Rwanda as a "different country of Congo." Philp's spokesperson later claimed the question was rhetorical.

During a debate, Conservative MP Philip expressed confusion about sending people from Rwanda back to Rwanda due to an exclusion in the legislation.

An audience member corrected him, stating that they were from Congo instead.

Philip then questioned if Rwanda was a different country from Congo, causing laughter from some.

He continued by explaining that the legislation prevents sending someone if they would suffer "serious and irreversible harm" in the destination country.

A law allowing for the deportation of Rwandan refugees in the UK, known as the Rwanda bill, was recently passed after a history of violent conflict between neighboring countries.

The legislation includes a safety mechanism to ensure proper procedures are followed during deportations.