Man in hi-vis jacket who questioned Rishi Sunak is Tory councillor asked to attend event

(Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)

A man who questioned Rishi Sunak wearing a hi-vis jacket in a warehouse is a Tory councillor asked to attend the event.

The prime minister kicked off a two-day trip around the UK with a visit to a distribution centre in Derbyshire to talk to staff.

Speaking to around 50 people, he was asked about his flagship plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.

He was told that the “biggest issue is going to be immigration over this election campaign” before he was asked whether “your Rwanda plan is going to see results and stop the small boats coming?”

Broadcasters showed Prime Minister thanking the man for his “important question.”

But the Tory leader did not mention that it had come from Conservative Leicestershire County councillor Ross Hills.

He told Byline Times that he had been invited to attend the event.

“That was me (asking the question) yes,” he confirmed to the paper.

As well as councillor, Mr Hills lists his occupation as “part time dentist”.

Mr Sunak has been accused of never believing in the Rwanda plan after he conceded flights would not take off before the election.

The PM admitted planes carrying asylum seekers to Kigali would now depart after polling day but vowed "preparation work" had already happened.

Speaking in Gillingham in Kent, a traditional Conservative heartland, Keir Starmer said: "I don't think he's ever believed that plan is going to work, and so he has called an election early enough to have it not tested before the election.

"We have to deal with the terrible loss of control of the border under this Government, we have to tackle the small boats that are coming across but nobody should be making that journey."

Mr Sunak insisted his Rwanda scheme would prove a deterrent, telling GB News: "Unless you're able to deliver that, people will keep coming."

In Derbyshire, he hammered home his message that the Tories have a "clear plan" while Labour would go "back to square one".

Labour's plan to curb small boat crossings include a new "border command" to work with other countries to crack down on people-smuggling gangs.

The news that Rwanda flights will not take off before the election came as new figures showed net migration - the difference between the number of people legally arriving in the UK and leaving – was still more than 600,000.

The Conservative party have been contacted for comment.