Clashing with presenters, the Home Secretary struggled to explain the government’s approach to refugees escaping war in Sudan, in a series of media performances.
Since armed conflict between rival factions of the military government of Sudan began on April 15, tens of thousands of Sudanese people have been fleeing their own country to seek protection in another.
Under the 1951 International Refugee Convention, of which all European countries, including the UK, are signatories, people fleeing the conflict in their own country have a right to seek protection in another.
But today, the Home Secretary confirmed that Sudanese refugees who arrive in the UK on small boats will have ‘come here illegally’ and will face deportation.
She said those fleeing the conflict in Sudan would be detained and could be removed to Rwanda under the government’s Illegal Migration Bill.
The comments came after the Independent reported that Sudanese refugees face being criminalised and deported because there are no safe and legal routes for those fleeing the conflict.
On the media round this morning, the Home Secretary failed to provide any real answers or reasoning for the government’s hostile approach to those escaping the conflict in Sudan.
She was asked about her Rwanda policy and the prospect of people fleeing to the UK from the conflict in Sudan. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Braverman said if the bill is successful, they would “not put a limit” on the number of migrants they could deport to Rwanda.
On BBC Breakfast, Braverman was questioned about the evacuations of people from Sudan. She said that the UK’s ‘first and overwhelming priority is to support British nationals out there in Sudan.’
Presenter Jon Kay then quizzed the home secretary about how this time last year, the government was coming up with safe routes from Ukraine and announcing various programmes, and would it not be sensible and fair to do the same thing for the people of Sudan? The home secretary struggled to come up with any real answer to the question, other than the situation was different to that in Ukraine and the position in Sudan is moving very quickly. Again she brought the focus back to British nationals and the package of support the government is working on to help them.
The interview attracted criticism, with Braverman’s response described as ‘waffled’ with ‘no direct answer.’ Others described the comments as ‘sad’ and ‘shocking.’
Author, lawyer and political and women’s right activist Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu accused Braverman of ‘weaponising racism effectively in a humanitarian crisis.’
From the BBC’s studio to Sky News, Kay Burley quizzed Braverman on Robert Jenrick’s comments yesterday that people fleeing from Sudan and others are uncontrolled illegal migration and that they threatening to ‘cannibalise the UK’s compassion,’ essentially, as Burley worded it, calling migrants ‘subhuman’ who wouldn’t adopt our values. The immigration minister’s comments were criticised as being ‘straight from the far right’s playbook.’
In another indirect response to the question, Braverman said that the point Jenrick was making is that ‘unprecedented and uncontrolled levels of immigration into the United Kingdom are unsustainable and unacceptable’ and she believes that is what the vast majority of the British people would say.
Burley pressed again about Jenrick’s comments about the migrants not adopting our values. Again, the home secretary failed to answer the question, choosing to repeat her comments about an ‘unacceptable level of people coming here illegally.’ The host asked the question for a third time about what Jenrick meant about people coming here not accepting our values. The home secretary claimed that people coming here illegally are breaking our laws and are criminals who ‘don’t have a right to be here,’ claiming that is at odds with our values of upholding the rule of law.
Burley also asked the home secretary about what is going to happen to people who tip up in Dover on a small boat from Sudan. Braverman responded by saying there ‘is no good reason for anybody to get into a small boat to cross the Channel is search of a new life in the UK.”
The interview attracted more criticism towards the home secretary.
“Not an ounce of understanding, empathy or compassion,” wrote one viewer.
Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead is a contributing editor to Left Foot Forward
Image credit: Twitter screen grab
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