Rest Is Politics - Rory Stewart discusses trip to Carlisle

The 50-year-old, who served as MP for Penrith and the Border between 2010 and 2019, returned to Carlisle last month to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Cumbria.

He received his accolade alongside international students at Carlisle Cathedral and spoke about their importance to the UK in an interview with the News and Star.

Alongside Alastair Campbell in last week’s 199th Rest is Politics episode, he discusses why the UK should be making it easier for international students to come here, as the USA and Australia have done, rather than the UK government’s plans to limit migration.

Rory Stewart said: "Whether you are conservative or labour, you can’t have it both ways. You can’t both be the most open country in the world to bringing international talent in and trying to stop migration.

"I was up in Carlisle last week at the University of Cumbria and it’s really impressive the diversity of students that the University of Cumbria brings in, particularly to their other campuses.

"I was there at their awards ceremony and it was just really moving and wonderful seeing very bright people from all over the world proud to be getting a University of Cumbria degree. I think it’s such a strength for the UK."

Mr Stewart was joined by students graduating from more than 50 countries in late November, with the University's incredible diversity celebrated at Carlisle Cathedral.

Alastair Campbell added: "If you say that we want to maintain British universities as being amongst the best in the world, and they require the financing that goes with that, you are going to have to keep having foreign students coming in.

"If you want to deliver a health service fit for the 21st century it is going to have staffing which is going to require people that are not earning £38,000 to come here. And they're only going to come here if they can bring their families. That's where there is no big strategy."