Immigration rhetoric is no substitute for delivery, Patel tells Braverman

Dame Priti Patel distanced herself from Suella Braverman's attack last week Photo: Julian Simmonds

Former Home Secretary Priti Patel accused Suella on Sunday Braverman

In her most outspoken criticism yet, Ms Priti also suggested that the Home Secretary's language was «no substitute for speech» and distanced herself from Ms Braverman's remarks. last week's attack on multiculturalism as a «failed dogma».

Dame Preeti was responding to a speech in the US last week in which Ms Braverman warned that the West faced an «existential» threat from uncontrolled immigration, that multiculturalism had failed because it allowed migrants to live parallel lives and that global rules refugee policies need to be reformed.

Asked by Sky News about Ms Braverman's speech, Dame Preeti, who this weekend was described as a potential queen maker in any competition, said: «To me it's very much an intervention , statements, but actually I think we have to be realistic here that this is not a substitute for making changes to government policy.

“I don't know what the intentions were about this. Perhaps this is just to get attention, to draw the dividing lines that you know your previous commenters have mentioned.

“I can understand it now. I understand this perfectly well.

– But you and I are sitting here today, okay. We are the product of actual integration, multiculturalism, vibrant communities, people who love our country, want to contribute to its development, and a hell of a lot of other people who have done the same, and I think that's what we should do. this is something to be proud of in this country.”

Suella Braverman on immigration

Allies rejected criticism of Dame Preeti. A source close to the Home Secretary said: «This does not require a response.»

Instead, Ms. Braverman's supporters pointed to a poll conducted by JL Partners that showed net public support for her comments. It found that 66 percent of voters agreed that uncontrolled and illegal migration is an existential challenge for the West, and 69 percent supported the claim that small boat crossings have put unsustainable pressure on Britain's asylum system and taxpayers.

Suella Braverman is rumored to be preparing for a potential Tory leadership challenge. Photo: Kevin Wolf/AP

British voters, by a margin of 50 to 21 percent, also backed her claim that «we would not be able to support the asylum system if, in fact, simply being gay or a woman» was enough to apply for asylum. Voters agreed with her assertion that «multiculturalism has failed» by a narrower margin (39 percent to 30 percent).

At this week's Tory conference in Manchester, speculation was growing about a potential party leadership battle if Rishi Sunak is ousted from power at the 2024 general election.

Supporting leaving the ECHR

Ms Braverman is considered standard-bearer for the Tory right, but will fight for their support in any contest with Kemi Badenoch. Over the weekend, she joined Ms Braverman in declaring her support for withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as a way to be “on the table” in efforts to combat illegal migration.

A poll by the right-wing New Conservative group found that British voters supported leaving the ECHR by a two-to-one majority if it meant the UK would be more willing to deport illegal migrants. On Monday they will call for the withdrawal of the ECHR as one of five promises in the next Tory manifesto.

An analysis of government data has found that three quarters of people crossing the English Channel in small boats in 2023 will be recognized as refugees , if their application was processed.

The Refugee Council study also found that once the Irregular Migration Act is fully implemented, only 3.5 per cent of people arriving will be returned to their countries of residence. every year, compared with 26 percent under current law.

The council said Rwanda would only be able to absorb about 10,000 of the 35,000 migrants crossing the Channel each year, leaving about 25,000 in limbo in the UK . Of these, up to a quarter could have been deported to their homeland under the previous system.