Former Deputy Prime Minister and Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey faced criticism after a geographical blunder in the House of Commons where she appeared to mistake Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, for a different country. During a debate, Coffey attempted to correct Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper for referring to the 'Kigali government', suggesting Cooper couldn't 'get the name of the country right', which led to astonished reactions from the Labour front bench. The error has sparked reactions across social media and news outlets, with some commentators and fellow politicians expressing disbelief and embarrassment over the mistake, calling it 'extraordinary'. Despite the backlash, Coffey defended her remarks, stating she did not mix anything up.
Therese Coffey said she was 'astonished' that shadow home secretary couldn't 'get the name of the country right' after making reference to the 'Kigali government'. Labour's Yvette Cooper was referring to Rwanda's capital. https://t.co/5xXbMIWbir https://t.co/fsidHHg3DK
Thinking Kigali was another country and not the capital of Rwanda was not Tory former Deputy PM Therese Coffey's finest moment 🤭 https://t.co/qlieQZMWtW
'I didn't mix anything up at all': Thérèse Coffey defends criticism after Rwanda gaffe in Commons debate https://t.co/yTV9RPJrHt
'She cannot even get the name of the country right, talking about the Kigali government when we are talking about Rwanda' Former deputy PM Thérèse Coffey tried and failed to correct @YvetteCooperMP in the Commons last night https://t.co/nIkq2zljtO https://t.co/9tSNZTrqEr
Former deputy PM mistakes Rwandan capital for another country https://t.co/INbiqLsAUw
Former Deputy PM Thérèse Coffey maybe thinks if the migrant deal with Rwanda falls through we should try somewhere else, like Kigali – and vows if she ever meets this Rwanda Bill, she'll give him a piece of her mind https://t.co/19A0YkoBMz
Conservative MP Therese Coffey appears to misunderstand that Kigali is the capital of Rwanda - during the debate on the Rwanda bill. https://t.co/OALqVOWluB
'Even by the standards of Thérèse Coffey, the style with which she soiled herself in the House of Commons yesterday...' @mrjamesob marvels at the ex-Deputy PM's 'extraordinary' geographical blunder, in which she mistook the capital of Rwanda for another country. https://t.co/IR9DTKzOpi
Former Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey is astounded that the Shadow Home Secretary refers to the "Kigali Government", complaining "she can't even get the name of the country right." Kigali is the capital of Rwanda. https://t.co/Ra6Jz1drxE
Bloody hell this is embarrassing by Thérèse Coffey. Kigali is the capital of Rwanda. How are these people our MPs?! https://t.co/oWJR6jmSFq
Wow - Kigali is the capital of Rwanda The faces on the Labour front bench… https://t.co/wFkbQVCY3R
Therese Coffey spoke at PMQs today opposing onshore renewable energy. When she was Environment Secretary she worked to block it, too: https://t.co/Jna6nzjsbH