Jacob Rees-Mogg Lays Into "Disgraceful" Home Office Over Windrush Row

16 April 2018, 09:46 | Updated: 16 April 2018, 10:28

Jacob Rees-Mogg lays into the Home Office over the Windrush row in which Commonwealth immigrants have been identified as illegal immigrants.

More than 140 MPs from all parties have signed a letter to the Prime Minister, expressing concern about many Commonwealth-born long-term British residents who have been incorrectly identified as illegal immigrants.

It's been called the Windrush row, named after the ship that brought people here.

And in his first Ring Rees-Mogg phone-in, the Conservative MP was extremely critical of the Home Office.

Speaking to Nick Ferrari, he said: "It's absolutely dreadful. These people are as British as you or I.

"It's really extraordinary that the Home Office is coming out with this ghastly bureaucratic guff saying they have to show that they're British.

"No-one's asking us to prove that we're British when we go and use public services.

"I think it's a deep disgrace. It should be the top priority of the government to sort it out.

"It's such a bad way of treating people and it puts bureaucratic rules ahead of people's lives. It's shameful."

When asked why this was happening, Mr Rees-Mogg didn't hold back his thoughts on the Home Office. He added: "You do wonder about the Home Office sometimes. It's not our most efficient government department, is it?

"A Labour Home Secretary 10 or 15 years ago said it wasn't fit for purpose."

His message got a lot of support. Labour MP David Lammy said this was the first time he'd ever agreed with Mr Rees-Mogg.