Suella Braverman has caused controversy after describing migrant boats crossing the English Channel as an “invasion”.
Ms Braverman was named Home Secretary by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak just six days after resigning from the position.
In her speech to the House of Commons on October 31, 2022, Suella Braverman controversially remarked:
“Let’s be clear about what is really going on here, the British people deserve to know which party is serious about stopping the invasion on our southern coast and which party is not.
“Some 40,000 people have arrived on the south coast this year alone.
“Many of them facilitated by criminal gangs, some of them actual members of criminal gangs.
“So let’s stop pretending that they are all refugees in distress.
“The whole country knows that is not true. It’s only the honourable members opposite who pretend otherwise.”
Her speech then shifted to the lack of urgency towards illegal migration in British law. Ms Braverman continued:
“We need to be straight with the public. The system is broken.
“Illegal migration is out of control and too many people are interested in playing political parlour games, covering up the truth than solving the problem.”
Her comments come after the controversial Manston Migrant Holding Centre in Kent came into the spotlight.
Living conditions for migrants at Manston Holding Centre were described by independent chief inspector of borders and immigration David Neal as:
“Pretty wretched.”
Ms Braverman’s comments in the House of Commons have been widely condemned by various politicians and political commentators online.
The inflammatory remarks came a day after another migrant holding centre in Dover was petrol bombed in a hate-driven attack, confirmed by the police.
The Refugee Council provided a comment on Braverman’s disputed migrant opinions:
“Appalling, wrong and dangerous.”
Labour MP Zarah Sultana, stated on a Twitter post that the home secretary’s perspective “whips-up hate and spreads division”.
Sultana tweet further commented:
“She’s totally unfit to be Home Secretary.”
Speaking about migrants as "invaders" is the language of the far-right.
Now it is the language of the Home Secretary.
Politicians, journalists and the public alike must challenge this grotesque rhetoric.
— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) October 31, 2022
But Ms Braverman’s comments took a liking from the former Brexit Party leader, Nigel Farage.
He commented: “Suella Braverman, who is under attack from Remainers and the globalists, has said what is happening in the Channel is an invasion.
“It’s a word I’ve been using for two years and been condemned for.”
The migrant crisis has expanded in the UK – concern has been investigated about the poor living conditions experienced by migrants whilst waiting for legal confirmation of their migration status in the UK.
Suella Braverman’s credibility has been questioned by members of the opposition party. Fellow members of parliament from the Consevative party have also contested the Home Secretary’s standing.
Loading ...