"Where will they live?" Nick Ferrari asks Minister what the plan is over 2.9m Hong Kongers
2 July 2020, 08:45 | Updated: 2 July 2020, 10:13
Nick Ferrari challenges Minister over where HK residents would live
Nick Ferrari asked the Minister for local government what their plan is to house the 2.9million residents from Hong Kong that they have invited to live in the UK.
After China passed "draconian" new security laws which restrict the rights of people in Hong Kong to protest against the government, the UK offered 2.9 people living there the opportunity to move to the UK.
Nick wanted to know what the government plan was for it - and was shocked about their lack of modelling over the immigration.
Nick asked: "Let's say the take-up is 10% - that's 290,000 people. You're a Minister for local government. Where will they all live? What is the modelling?"
Mr Clarke responded: "It depends on the uptake that we see."
But Nick then told him: "Oh I see. So this is like holding a wedding, you invite 300 people but you don't bother to find out who is coming."
Mr Clarke insisted: "We would take the necessary steps to ensure that safe accommodation is provided for these people should that number materialise.
"But I'm not going to get drawn on the precise numbers. We're not at the position where we need exact numbers."
Watch the interview at the top of the page.
