Krishnan Guru-Murthy calling out Robert Jenrick’s asylum misinformation was expertly done
Immigration minister Robert Jenrick tried to smuggle an often-repeated lie about asylum past Channel 4 News’ Krishnan Guru-Murthy on Wednesday, as he explained why the government has positioned itself against the Archbishop of Canterbury on asylum.
It did not go well for him.
"They're not asylum shoppers they're asylum seekers… That's not true."@krishgm challenges immigration minister Robert Jenrick after he claims "asylum shoppers" should seek sanctuary in the first safe country they reach under the "Refugee Convention". pic.twitter.com/NsDz9DqiO1
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) May 10, 2023
“The Refugee Convention also says that people should seek …asylum in the first safe country.”
“No, it doesn’t. Where does it say that? That is not true. The Refugee Convention does not say you must seek sanctuary in the first safe country.”
“The Refugee Convention does encourage people to do that.
That’s a key principle that we support.”
“That’s the government’s position. It’s not the refugee convention.”
Speaking in the House of Lords, the Archbishop, Justin Welby, described the Illegal Migration Bill as ‘isolationist, morally unacceptable and politically impractical’, signalling his intention to propose amendments before it goes back to the Commons.
People weren’t impressed by Jenrick’s false claim – or his description of asylum seekers as ‘asylum shoppers’.
1.
After this treatment by Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Robert Jenrick has refused to do any interviews where he isn't allowed to lie. Thankfully that still leaves us plenty of choice.#C4News pic.twitter.com/UruOtg4b8C
— Parody Rishi Sunak (@Parody_PM) May 10, 2023
2.
‘Asylum-shoppers’ is an abhorrent phrase and one that they clearly intend to use to whip up support from their rabid base. https://t.co/Xalt1z0Mu5
— Nick Pettigrew🇺🇦 (@Nick_Pettigrew) May 10, 2023
3.
Krishnan Guru-Murthy of #C4News has just eaten Robert Jenrick for dinner. Made my day!
— Mike Collier 💙 (@mike051292) May 10, 2023
4.
What an utter disgrace you are @RobertJenrick
Lying like this about the Refugee Convention. Gaslighting the people of this country into completely misunderstanding the ‘safe country’ concept. We DO NOT get to shirk responsibility based on our geography. And you bloody know it.— sarah murphy (@13sarahmurphy) May 10, 2023
5.
Krish is absolutely slaughtering Robert Jenrick right now. Jenrick reeling off drivel about safe routes for asylum seekers and Krishnan not having any of it whatsoever… Jedi #C4News
— Stuzi 🐝🐝🐝 (@Stuzipants) May 10, 2023
6.
About time the media stopped fannying around and just said, “No, that’s not true,” more often.
I would have preferred, “No, fuck off, Robert Jenrick, you lying little cunt, it does not say that,” but I’ll settle for this.pic.twitter.com/gnItT31vGD
— Based Brenda 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (they/them) (@SpillerOfTea) May 10, 2023
7.
The Refugee Convention is a pretty simple treaty. I appreciate @RobertJenrick is a busy person, but surely as Minister for Immigration he could have scanned it and seen "first safe country" appears precisely zero times prior to spreading disinformation.https://t.co/ec1fKtm7ay
— Daniel Sohege 🧡 (@stand_for_all) May 10, 2023
8.
What in Robert Jenrick’s long and illustrious career could have suggested he’d turn out to be such a grifting careerist fascist-adjacent simp? https://t.co/o46KJIZkle
— Jonathan Lis (@jonlis1) May 10, 2023
9.
How many times does this need to be said?? https://t.co/YsXcsgPjCY
— Prof Paul Bernal (@PaulbernalUK) May 10, 2023
10.
This is such an important clip.
Thankfully we have people like @krishgm holding the government to account in real time when they tell lies.
We need more journalists who are informed enough and brave enough to be able to do this. https://t.co/8XZZWYZ7xt
— Kit Yates (@Kit_Yates_Maths) May 10, 2023
11.
Robert Jenrick having a very bad evening.
— John Crace (@JohnJCrace) May 10, 2023
12.
Wonder if Tory MP Robert Jenrick goes home and blatantly lies to his wife & loved ones as much as he does to news presenters, fellow MPs & the British public in general #C4News
— David (@Zero_4) May 10, 2023
13.
He has to be a liar otherwise he is actually thick which is more dangerous in the job he does https://t.co/LFeGnEcPb5
— Alex – European🌹💙 @[email protected] (@Alexverycalm) May 10, 2023
Toby Earle reminded us of Jenrick’s illustrious past.
Robert Jenrick’s full name is Disgraced Former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick
— Toby Earle 🇺🇦 (@TobyonTV) May 10, 2023
You can watch the full Jenrick interview, in which Krishnan Guru-Murthy pins the minister on safe routes, here.
READ MORE
Ian Hislop got Robert Jenrick to denounce his own party and it was magnificent
Source Channel 4 Image Screengrab