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Home Affairs and Communities

It is a pleasure to open the debate on this part of the Gracious Speech. The Speech and this Session of Parliament follow the most unpleasant election campaign in my memory, most of all in respect of the matters for which the Home Office is responsible, particularly violent crime, the criminal justice system, immigration and asylum, all of which are legitimate and proper matters for public debate, including in an election campaign—however, not the kind of irresponsible scare-mongering campaigning that we saw, in which some parties used dishonest statistics intended to demoralise communities—[Interruption.]—used inconsistent and economically illiterate promises, put forward impractical and inoperable policies—[Interruption.]—used inflammatory language and mobilised undercover sentiment appealing to the dark side of people’s lives. [Interruption.]I believe that the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden (David Davis) bears responsibility for that disgraceful campaign, which I am delighted to say the country rejected. I hope—