AN inaccurate government advert suggested a former MP “voted to keep illegal migrants in Britain” – but they haven’t been in office since 2019.

A Facebook advert by the Conservative party said former Darlington Labour MP Jenny Chapman voted against the recent borders bill, which the Tories say, “takes back control of our borders, allows us to remove those here illegally, and tackles channel crossings”.

Another headline on the advert declared: "You can't trust Jenny Chapman."

And although Conservative MP Peter Gibson won the Darlington seat in 2019, and has been in office for over two years, the Conservative party still published the advert.

The error has been put down to a “computer glitch”.

Read more: Darlington people are offering up rooms to Ukrainian refugees

 

In response to a tweet which exposed the inaccuracy, Mr Gibson said: “Turns pout it was computer glitch, now resolved. Undoubtedly had we not turned Darlington blue in 2019 it would have been accurate.”

But some social media users are unconvinced, with one person saying: “How can graphic design be a computer glitch?”

The Northern Echo: Darlington MP Peter Gibson Darlington MP Peter Gibson

The Nationality and Borders Bill has caused controversy recently after the government tabled plans that would allow the UK to send asylum seekers to a “safe third country” and to submit claims at a “designated place” determined by the Secretary of State.

MPs and campaigners have criticised the plans to forcibly send to Rwanda thousands of asylum seekers who arrive in the UK in unauthorised Channel crossings.

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