The Rt Hon member for Sparkbrook condemns the Government's
scheme as "divisive". Unless, like the Rt Hon member for Yeovil, you are advocating citizenship for all Hong Kongers, that term is
meaningless. If passports are available only for a limited number
of people, there has to be some process of selection. Any set of
criteria must divide the unsuccessful from the successful. Are
Labour's own ideas not divisive? The Rt Hon gentleman says he hasn't thought about the figures but that they will turn out to be
less than the Government's. So his scheme, whatever it is, will in
that sense be divisive.
means.
"A word," said Humpty Dumpty, "means exactly what I say it
No more, no less". And indeed the policy of the opposition front bench might just as well have been written by Lewis Caroll for
all the sense that it makes.
"I don't know what the number is and I don't think we should
think about the number". That sums up the opposition's contribution to this debate. It is not a fit or responsible way in which to discuss the future of British Subjects in Hong Kong a future for which this House is, and for the next seven years will remain, responsible.