James O'Brien utterly baffled by Priti Patel's bizarre Christmas card
23 December 2022, 12:24 | Updated: 23 December 2022, 12:43
James O'Brien is baffled by Priti Patel's bizarre Christmas card
"I think that's evidence of a country on the verge of a nervous breakdown.": James O'Brien's astonished reaction to the Christmas card Priti Patel reportedly sent out to political contacts.
James O'Brien reacted to Priti Patel's "very deliberate attempt" to "denigrate the Christmas message".
He said he "wouldn't normally give any coverage at all to ludicrous claims (that come around like clockwork) that Christmas is somehow being denigrated or diluted by bad actors" but he felt compelled to relay this news.
"I think this Christmas card is real," James said after reports have shown the former Home Secretary Priti Patel, under whose tenure the Rwanda scheme was launched, sent out a card to her political contacts where she is depicted as a fairy 'magicking' up policies such as Rwanda.
"As far as I can tell the picture that is doing the rounds of Priti Patel's Christmas purportedly - is real!"
READ MORE: Fury at Priti Patel's Christmas card showing her as a fairy magicking up Rwanda deportations
"And it has Rwanda on it!" he said in disbelief.
James O'Brien: "I can't think of anything more at odds with Christmas meaning or Christmas values than being delighted about deporting people against their will to the other side of the world. It's pretty much the polar opposite of what the entire Nativity message is about."
"There isn't any room at the inn said the innkeeper so we are deporting you to Rwanda against your will, regardless of where you've come from or why you've fled your country of origin."
James reflected on the importance of Rwanda being on the Christmas card and how crucial that policy is for The Conservatives: "It's absolutely horrible and it's real!"
The Rwanda scheme, which has been recently ruled lawful, is "such an odd policy" James expressed. Although he detailed why it is such a prominent "boasting" point for the Tories.
READ MORE: Controversial plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda is lawful, High Court rules
"If you think about all the u-turns... what do they actually stand for? Apart from constant promises - as yet unkept - to deport people to Sub-Saharan Africa," he said in astonishment.
James described the cartoon Christmas card:
"So Priti Patel, the former Home Secretary, has commissioned someone to draw a picture of her looking like a Christmas fairy on top of a Christmas tree - at the bottom of the Christmas tree sits Boris Johnson in cartoon form, wearing pyjamas unwrapping presents.
"And the baubles on the Christmas tree contain the following words; twenty thousand more police, law and order, points system, beating crime plan, victim support, national security, Rwanda and for Ukraine."
Trying to wrap his head around the sentiment, James exclaimed: "I think that's evidence of a country on the verge of a nervous breakdown."
"A recently departed Hom Secretary sees herself as a Christmas fairy that has delivered untold gifts to a waiting nation."
Explaining to his listeners why he is astonished at Ms Patel linking Rwanda to Christmas he said the holiday is about "celebrating the birth of Jesus, that's what Christmas is about!".
"A man whose teaching's were about welcome and tolerance and good samaritans and turning the other cheek.
"The entire Christmas message is about people who couldn't find somewhere to sleep somehow finding a bed for the night -albeit in a manger - and she's boasting about sending people to Sub-Saharan Africa on a Christmas tree!"
"Talk about sociopathic or narcissistic or whatever word you want to apply to the woman, that's incredible", he retorted.
