DUP MP says Government must crack down on illegal immigration into Northern Ireland
DUP MP Carla Lockhart said the Government must crack down on illegal immigration into Northern Ireland in the wake of a stabbing which sparked a night of violence in Belfast, or “significant unrest” will continue.
Ms Lockhart, who is the MP for Upper Bann, said the Labour Government must review the land border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which allows for the free movement of people under the Common Travel Area (CTA) agreement, as the Government has let “uncontrolled immigration get out of control”.
Speaking on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday, Ms Lockhart said: “That’s where this problem lies, and unless the Government step up, I fear we will continue to see significant unrest within our communities.”
Asked why freedom of movement matters when the Sudanese suspect entered the country legally, Ms Lockhart said: “Well, ultimately, this individual came from Paris to Dublin flew then from Dublin to Northern Ireland, you know, that’s unacceptable. He came with no checks. He should have been seeking asylum where he first positioned himself.”
Ms Lockhart, who has faced criticism after she was pictured standing with masked men during a counter-protest to a pro-Palestine march, said the media had not “painted the correct picture” of her participation at the protest, which saw hundreds turn out in the Co Down village of Scarva on Saturday.
“I was there, and I think if you redo your research, you will see that my intervention ensured that quiet, calm, and that incident passed off without riot,” she said.
Asked if she condemned last night’s violence in Belfast, Ms Lockhart said: “Absolutely, I condemn violence. I don’t want to see violence there. There’s always an alternative to violence, and I have been absolutely clear in that.”