Inter-governmental Relations

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:05 pm on 3 November 2020.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 2:05, 3 November 2020

Llywydd, I entirely reject the deliberately inflammatory words that the Member uses. These are not dumped illegal immigrants; they are human beings with a right to a life every bit as much as he has, or any one of us in this Senedd has either. It's utterly unacceptable to me that he should try to smear people who through no choice of their own find themselves being moved to deeply unsuitable accommodation. The Welsh Government has attempted throughout to influence a decision that is entirely in the hands of the UK Government—to influence it so that that setting is not used, and if it is to be used, then the services are there to make sure that the individuals who are housed there can be properly looked after, and that the legitimate concerns of the local community are properly addressed. The utterly insensitive handling of the Home Office lies at the root of the difficulties that are being experienced, and that's where the responsibility begins and ends. This Government will speak up for people who find themselves in that position, because we are a nation of sanctuary. We'll go on being a nation of sanctuary, and that extends not just to people who we happen to like, but to people whoever they are and wherever they come from, and that is the difference between the philosophy of my party and that sort of stony-hearted view of the world that the Member continually parades in front of us whenever he has the opportunity.