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Priti Patel calls Jeremy Corbyn 'rude' after he heckles her in House of Commons

This is the moment Priti Patel rowed with “rude” Jeremy Corbyn after he heckled her in the House of Commons.

The home secretary was accused by the Labour leader of “putting down” shadow immigration minister Bell Ribeiro-Addy during a statement about the government’s planned new immigration system on Monday.

Ribeiro-Addy had raised Labour’s concerns about workers’ and citizens’ rights, saying the new system would create conditions “where the threat of dismissal implies the threat of deportation” for migrant workers.

Patel accused Ribeiro-Addy of not reading the government’s policy statement and using her remarks “to conflate this”.

Patel and Corbyn clashed in the Commons on Monday (Parliamentlive.tv)
Patel and Corbyn clashed in the Commons on Monday (Parliamentlive.tv)

Corbyn, sat next to Ribeiro-Addy, then heckled Patel, saying: “Just answer the question.”

Patel fired back: “If the honourable gentleman allows me, without being rude and interrupting, I will come onto the point specifically.

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“Perhaps he should have the courtesy and patience to listen up.”

Corbyn shot back: “Don’t put her down.”

The row continued as Patel denied this, with Corbyn then saying: “You were.”

Patel responded: “Actually, no I wasn’t putting her down.”

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Under the new “points-based” system, announced last week, Patel said the government is looking to welcome people “with the right talent”.

Overseas citizens will need to accrue 70 points to work in the UK, based on passing thresholds such as a minimum £25,600 salary, having qualifications and the ability to speak English.

It feeds into Boris Johnson’s general election narrative of reducing unskilled immigration. Labour has labelled it a “hostile environment”, with the Lib Dems saying it is “xenophobic”.

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