“Desperate stuff from a desperate PM out of ideas."
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been widely condemned for claiming that the Labour Party and criminal gangs smuggling people into the UK are ‘on the same side’.
Sunak made the claim in a tweet, where he shared a link to a Daily Mail story about lawyers allegedly charging thousands of pounds to submit false asylum claims. He added: “This is what we’re up against. The Labour Party, a subset of lawyers, criminals gangs – propping up a system of exploitation that profits from getting people to the UK illegally.”
Sunak’s remarks were so disgraceful that even Tories criticised him. Former Downing Street adviser Tim Montgomerie said it was “unbecoming from a prime minister”.
Labour MP Stephen Kinnock tweeted: “Desperate stuff from a desperate PM out of ideas.
“Labour has called for Solicitors Regulation Authority to launch an urgent inquiry into these despicable rogue lawyers.
“Labour has a 5pt plan to stop small boats & end hotel use. Sunak’s new sham law will do neither & cost £bns!”
Former Tory MP Anna Soubry tweeted: “This is what we’re up against. A Conservative Party that’s abandoned pragmatic One Nation Toryism (that aims to unite rather than divide the British people) The Govt’s been hijacked by nasty right wing nationalists with a PM fishing for votes at the bottom of the political pond.”
Labour MP Bill Esterson also slammed Sunak, saying it was a new low for the Tories. He tweeted: “13 years of the nasty party in government but this is a new low for the Tories.
“Their time is up. We must have a #GeneralElectionN0W”.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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