Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes may have been a rising star but her limitations were spectacularly exposed yesterday when she came in front of the Northern Ireland Committee completely unprepared, spoke some nonsense and revealed that she is left out of the loop by other Ministers and her own officials. She hadn't even read two important documents she quoted. It was embarrassing watching her squirming and hesitating, sometimes with eyes closed, as she struggled to get her thoughts together. I think she may have reached her level of incompetence - this may be the end of a promising career.
Humiliation 1: Hasn't read the Good Friday Agreement.
She said it was crucially important that the government upheld the Belfast Agreement.
Committee Member Sylvia Hermon: I'll just ask you if you've read the Belfast Agreement.
CN: Not in its entirety, no.
SH: So it is crucially important to the British Government to upheld the Belfast Agreement but you, as the Immigration Minister, looking at passports, looking at the issue that we were asking for evidence and inviting evidence this afternoon, did not think it fit to actually read the Belfast Agreement in its entirety.
CN: I haven't read the whole document, no.
SH: Have you ever read it in the twenty years since we marked its anniversary this year?
CN: No I haven't..........
Humiliation 2: Not in the Loop.
SH: The Secretary of State for NI has not actually spoken to you about this? [Military Service in NI]
CN: No, I don't believe so.
SH: That is absolutely astonishing.
Committee Member Kate Hoey: This is amazing. I find it quite shocking actually.
Humiliation 3: Hasn't read another document she referred to. Also doesn't know what her officials are doing.
CN: I think we have to respect the Equalities Commission on this.
KH: Have you read the Equalities Commission submission?
CN: No.
Chairman: I think, Minister, you really must read this....I would expect a report of this sort to be considered by the Minister making the decision ultimately, so that she can make an informed determination.
CN: This is not a Ministerial decision.
Chairman: Minister, you are in charge of your Department. You need to know this stuff.
CN: Absolutely, but you just said before a Minister made the decision. This was not a Ministerial decision.
Chairman: If your officials are doing this kind of thing without your knowledge, I would suggest you go back to officials and ask the basis on which they are making their decision.
Humiliation 4: She thought Revenue checks for red diesel along the Northern Ireland border would be comparable with those in Hampshire.
Committee Member Ian Paisley: With over £15 million stolen from the Treasury last year in Northern Ireland on diesel alone, I would be alarmed if it wasn't daily. [referring to the Revenue checks]
CN: I was merely reflecting upon the checks you might see on the M27 motorway in my own constituency and I think I've seen a red diesel check along there once since I could drive.
IP: Yes. I'm talking about on our border though - Newry, Armagh, Donegal. That border.
Humiliation 5: Immigration Minister hasn't been to the UK's only land border.
KH: It's not just red diesel. It's the fact that oil is a different price, so they are stopped quite regularly, cos there is smuggling going on. You must have seen....You haven't visited the Border yet?
CN: No I haven't.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0b49sbw/tuesday-in-parliament-22052018 11.34 - 16.15
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