Brexiteer MP launches rant about migrants in defence over Dominic Cummings

Chope wrote to Benjamin Chadwick, who had sent him a letter concerning Cummings’ actions, commending the senior aide’s ‘work ethic’ while slamming government social distancing guidelines and migrants.

In his letter, Chope said Cummings should be left alone to resolve ‘many outstanding issues’ before blaming the ‘financial burden’ and ‘logistical nightmare’ of easing lockdown on the two metre distancing rule.

‘The 2m social distance guideline which is twice that of the World Health Organisation guideline of 1m… is adding to immensely to the financial burden and logistical nightmare of relaxing lockdown.’

He then went on to criticise new government quarantine measures for UK entrants and ranted about migrants arriving in Dover.

‘This makes a mockery of our border controls, public health protection policy and the ridiculous proposals to introduce ‘quarantine’ for everyone arriving lawfully in the UK from 8th June,’ he wrote.

The Brexiteer is no stranger to controversy. In June 2018, Chope blocked the passage of a private member’s bill outlawing upskirting and in November of the same year, he voted against legislation to protect girls at risk from female genital mutilation.

He has also voted against legislation on gay marriage and backs the reintroduction of the death penalty and conscription. He was also heavily involved in the creation of bills forcing a vote on a referendum on EU membership.

Posting a copy of Chope’s response on Twitter, Chadwick said: ‘I’m fuming. I wrote to my MP, Sir Christopher Chope, about Cummings, and in his reply he not only defended the man but also managed to find a way to blame migrants.

Don’t vote Tory, folks, especially if you vote in Christchurch.’

Many on social media agreed. Dan Murphy wrote: ‘While the rest of us try to wrap our heads around the sheer nightmarish enormity of 60,000+ dead, monsters like Chope and Farage insist on crying about a few desperate foreign people in kayaks and inflatable boats ‘invading our country’. The unbelievable irrelevance of it.’

Former Guardian cartoonist Jon said: ‘The Venn diagram of people who say ‘Cummings drove all the way to Durham because that was the best place for his family to get help’ and ‘why can’t asylum seekers just stop in the first safe country?’ is a perfect circle.’

Tom Morris shared: ‘A man who objected to legislation criminalising ‘upskirting’ also wants to get closer to people.’

@antic2000 posted: ‘This is the sort of man who gets a knighthood in the UK,’ while Aleva Ivanova called Chope ‘an absolute nutter.’