5 Major Controversies Involving Recently Dismissed British Home Secretary Suella Braverman
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak dismissed Home Secretary Suella Braverman on Monday, a few days after she criticized pro-Palestinian marches in a news article, Here’s a compilation of controversies involving Ms. Braverman:
- Homelessness as a “Lifestyle Choice”: Prior to her comparison of pro-Palestinian protests to scenes in Northern Ireland, Braverman sparked outrage by stating that individuals sleeping on the streets do so as a “lifestyle choice.” This remark, shared on X (formerly Twitter), drew widespread criticism.
- Asylum Seekers “Pretending to be Gay”: In September, Braverman made another contentious statement, alleging that individuals seeking asylum in the UK often pretend to be gay “in many instances” to receive “special treatment” and remain in the country. This statement was made on ITV’s Peston program.
- Accusation Against British-Pakistani Men in Grooming Gangs: In April, Braverman claimed in an interview with Sky News that groups of men, mostly British-Pakistanis, were part of grooming gangs that “pursue, drug, rape, and harm vulnerable English girls.”
- Referring to Migration as an “Invasion”: Braverman faced criticism for describing the arrival of asylum seekers in small boats across the English Channel as “the invasion on our southern coast.” Her choice of language was condemned, with concerns raised about the potential risks associated with such rhetoric.
- “Dream” of Deporting Asylum Seekers to Rwanda: In October of the previous year, during her tenure as Liz Truss’ home secretary, Braverman expressed her “dream” to witness a plane carrying asylum seekers departing for Rwanda before Christmas.
These controversies collectively contributed to Prime Minister Sunak’s decision to dismiss Suella Braverman from her position as Home Secretary.
Repurposed article originally published in NDTV