Minister for bungling: How Chris Philp boasting of a 'strengthening' pound as ... trends now
Chris Philp was widely mocked today for asked a Question Time audience if Rwanda 'is a different country from Congo'.
But but it is not the first time he has been publicly pilloried for an apparent lack of knowledge.
The Policing Minister was laughed at on the BBC debate programme last night for his gaffe, which came as he was grilled about the government's plan to deport migrants who cross the Channel in small boats, to East Africa.
He was asked if asylum seekers originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, could be sent to Rwanda. The two countries neighbour each other and there is an ongoing conflict between the two nations.
In response, the minister said: 'Well Rwanda is a different country from Congo, isn't it?' His response sparked laughter and mockery, and gave birth to what will surely become a popular political meme based on Labour shadow minister Wes Streeting's bemused reaction.
But Mr Philp, a married father of two and MP for Croydon South has previously hit the headlines for putting his foot in it on other issues as well. He has also been a bit of a fall guy for more senior ministers when appearing on TV and radio.
'Strengthening' Sterling falls off a cliff after tweet
Before being demoted to his current post Mr Philp was briefly a senior Treasury minister under prime minister Liz Truss.
As his boss, Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng was on his feet in the Commons delivering his infamous 'Emergency Budget' on September 23, 2022, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Mr Philp tried to help with some top optimism on social media.
Treasury ministers have long avoided commenting on currency issues - partly because their remarks risk moving the markets and backfiring.
At 10.17am he tweeted 'Great to see Sterling strengthening on the back of the new UK Growth plan' accompanied with a chart showing a brief spike versus the US dollar at 10am.
But 27 minutes later it had hit another 37-year low and by the evening had come close to an all-time low against the US currency, as the markets reacted with panic to the economic plan, which eventually cost Ms Truss, Mr Kwarteng and Mr Philp their jobs.
Pictured: The pound spiked at 10am while Kwasi Kwarteng was announcing his mini budget
Pictured: By 10.44am the pound had slumped to a new record low within minutes of the spike
It dipped under $1.09 - within sight of the $1.0545 it hit in March 1985. Additionally, the yield on gilts - effectively the interest on government borrowing - also saw the biggest one-day rise in decades, while FTSE 100 tumbled below 7,000 for the first time since March.
Three weeks later he was sacked by Ms Truss along with Mr Kwarteng, swapping jobs with paymaster general Edward Argar.
Taking the rap for 45p tax axe fiasco
In October 2022 Mr Philp was blamed for the idea of axing the 45p top income tax rate paid by people earning more than £150,000 - as Chancellor Mr Kwarteng was forced to reinstate
