“Suella Braverman is now perilously close to making Priti Patel look like the second most callous & ignorant Home Secretary in living memory.”
Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been slammed for her crass and inhumane comments at Tory conference, where she said it was her ‘dream’ and ‘obsession’ to see a flight taking asylum seekers to Rwanda.
She told an event at the party conference in Birmingham: “I would love to have a front page of The Telegraph with a plane taking off to Rwanda, that’s my dream, it’s my obsession.
“[Starting by Christmas] would be amazing but if I’m honest I think it will take longer. We’ve got to come out of the legal dispute we are currently embroiled in.”
The first flight to Rwanda, which the government was hoping would have at least 130 asylum seekers on board had to be cancelled in June after an intervention by the European Court of Human Rights.
The independent reported that asylum seekers had to be restrained and attached to plane seats after self-harming and threatening suicide.
Braverman has been widely criticised for her comments, with one social media user tweeting: “For Suella Braverman to say that it’s her dream to deport refugees to Rwanda by Christmas puts her to the right to the xenophobic AFD party in Germany. For any politician to say something like this is absolutely shameful. She has no place in Parliament.’
James O’Brien tweeted: “Suella Braverman is now perilously close to making Priti Patel look like the second most callous & ignorant Home Secretary in living memory.”
Otto English wrote: “Suella Braverman’s father came to the UK from Kenya seeking refuge, after being forced out in the 1960s.
“This country gave him and his family the opportunity to live here and flourish. The right thing to do.
“His daughter wants to deport modern refugees to Rwanda.”
Others questioned just how it was possible for a politician to have so much joy in the suffering of others.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
To reach hundreds of thousands of new readers we need to grow our donor base substantially.
That's why in 2024, we are seeking to generate 150 additional regular donors to support Left Foot Forward's work.
We still need another 117 people to donate to hit the target. You can help. Donate today.