'What would this country look like if she was PM?': Barrister criticises Home Sec's migration stance

17 May 2023, 07:35

Dr Proudman reacts to Suella Braverman's stance on migration

By Phoebe Dampare Osei

Human rights barrister Dr Charlotte Proudman reacted to Suella Braverman's speech at the National Conservatism Conference, saying the Home Secretary has done an "awful lot of damage" to the UK.

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The barrister told Iain Dale: "'Stop the boats and the culture wars' as says Suella Braverman, is just a way of distracting from the real issues that people in this country are really struggling with including inflation, rising food prices, high rates of unemployment, the NHS is in crisis."

She said the Home Secretary and the government are "wholly failing" those who are "just trying to put a roof over their head and heat their homes", and not focusing on these issues but are choosing to focus so much on migration instead.

"It's absolutely appalling that the focus is on small boats for goodness sake - desperate people who are trying to get here, often fleeing places of persecution - and rather than helping them as we owe a duty under the Refugee Convention, we're turning them away", Dr Proudman said.

She branded it a "gross indictment of this government".

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Iain Dale then asked: "What do you think of this speech she's made at this conference where most people interpreted it as her effectively saying, 'Well I may be Home Secretary, but I can't do anything, or I'm not allowed to do anything'?"

Dr Proudman replied: "If she can't do anything as Home Secretary - and she's done a hell of a lot, and I think she's done an awful lot of damage to this country - what would this country look like if she was Prime Minister?"

"I think that is what's a frightening prospect", she added.