A Tory minister has been slammed after appearing on BBC’s Question Time and giving a ‘shameful’ response to questions about Sudan, as the conflict continues in the African nation.
The RAF airlifted nearly 900 people from near the capital Khartoum as they raced to evacuate British nationals.
Thousands more British nationals may be forced to remain in Sudan as the conflict foes on.
Confusion surrounds whether refugees have safe and legal routes to enter the UK.
Rachel Maclean was asked about the situation on BBC’s Question Time and it was an awful response.
What is happening?
The sudden break out of violence is between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary group called Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The brutal fighting has stranded thousands of foreigners, including diplomats and aid workers in the country,
Ceasefire
Sudan‘s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have agreed to a three-day extension to a ceasefire in Sudan.
The Sudanese military accepted the deal on Thursday.
The truce and its extension had been brokered by the United States and Saudi Arabia.
The existing truce, which was to expire at midnight, has not stopped the fighting.
However, it has calmed the bloodshed enough to allow many thousands of Sudanese to flee to safer areas and for foreign nations to evacuate their citizens.
What did she say?
When asked about the situation in Sudan, she said there was “a degree of discretion” – before being told that what she’d said was different to what James Cleverly had said in the House of Commons.
“Forgive me, I would absolutely go with what the foreign secretary said on the floor of the house,” Maclean replied. “I mean, come on, he is the foreign secretary and obviously he is coordinating. I’m a government minister responsible for housing.”
Then another panelist, Camilla Tominey, highlighted the varying answers being given by ministers over the situation.
Maclean replied: “I think you’re trying to make this into a sort of personality psychodrama which with respect is completely wrong.”
She was then asked again about who in her party had given the correct response about the government’s handling of the fast moving situation, she replied: “This is a military operation, and at the end of the day, the people on the ground in Sudan are military personnel, are the ones who are leading with that, being directed by the prime minister through all the usual channels.”
Twitter user were furious, with one writing on: “Astonishing, shameful, disgraceful, car crash response by Conservative MP Rachel Maclean.”
