“Many people” fake to be homosexual to say asylum within the UK, Suella Braverman has claimed, as she defended herself from criticism from Sir Elton John.
The house secretary yesterday delivered a controversial speech by which she claimed the asylum system will break if individuals are given sanctuary for “simply being gay, or a woman, and fearful of discrimination in your country of origin”.
Her phrases had been criticised by Sir Elton John and the Labour MPs Ben Bradshaw and Sir Chris Bryant, who’re each homosexual.
Speaking to ITV News at present, Ms Braverman mentioned that “some people do game the system”.
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She mentioned: “They come to the UK, they purport to be homosexual in the effort to game our system, in the effort to get special treatment.
“That’s not honest, and it is not proper.
“I’m afraid we do see many instances where people purport to be gay when they’re not actually gay. But in order to get special treatment, it’s not the way our asylum system should work.”
In an announcement launched via the Elton John Aids Foundation, the singer and his husband David Furnish mentioned: “We are very involved in regards to the UK house secretary’s feedback stating how discrimination for being homosexual or a girl shouldn’t be cause sufficient to qualify for cover beneath worldwide refugee legal guidelines.
“Nearly a third of all nations class LGBTQ+ people as criminals, and homosexuality is still punishable by death in 11 countries.
“Dismissing the very actual hazard LGBTQ+ communities face dangers additional legitimising hate and violence towards them.
“Leaders need to provide more compassion, support and acceptance for those seeking a safer future.”
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Responding, Ms Braverman mentioned: “Well, I have huge admiration for Elton John, but what I would say is that we need to be, again honest about what’s actually happening on the ground.
“And as I mentioned in my speech, we must be clear about what constitutes persecution – persecution is the place individuals are being tortured, the place they’re receiving ill-treatment, the place they’re having their human rights violated in a monstrous and grotesque method.”
She added that “we need to welcome folks fleeing persecution to the UK”.
“That’s not the identical as discrimination, and I totally acknowledge that it’s depressing and extremely robust round elements of the world to be homosexual or to be a girl – being a sufferer of discrimination should not essentially qualify you for asylum safety within the UK.”
Sky News has asked the Home Office for more details about Ms Braverman’s claim.
Sir Chris said: “How many? Where’s your proof? And how dare you scurry behind the apron strings of prejudice to cover the truth that you’ve got manifestly did not cope with the asylum mess you and your get together created.”
There had been suggestions Ms Braverman was using the trip – taking place less than a week before the Conservative Party conference – to raise her profile as a potential successor to Rishi Sunak. She unsuccessfully ran to lead the party after Boris Johnson resigned.
It is not the first time Ms Braverman has delivered a speech which might be more at home in a leadership race. The speech in the US was signed off in the usual way, according to Downing Street.
Should Mr Sunak lose the subsequent basic election, it’s seemingly he might be challenged for management of the get together.
Asked by the PA information company if her speech on Tuesday was made with management ambitions in thoughts, the house secretary mentioned: “With respect, that is a slightly flippant interpretation of what is a very serious issue.”
She was requested about her management ambitions yesterday by Sky’s Mark Stone, saying: “I’m incredibly honoured to be here at the [American Enterprise Institute].
“The AEI represents the forefront of thought management and policymaking within the US and truly internationally, and to be hosted right here to speak about migration within the worldwide context, adopted by conferences with my American counterparts is absolutely once more, a part of my day job a part of my obligation as house secretary, I need to lead this dialog globally.
“And I want to work with like-minded partners to find a solution.”
Ms Braverman additionally rejected claims she was missing compassion following her speech, saying at present: “No, I don’t think that is true.
“And what I’d say is that we face unprecedented ranges of unlawful migration, not simply within the UK but in addition in nations just like the US and different Western or European nations.
“It’s right that we ask for greater collaboration at the international level among like-minded partners and, ultimately, the UK cannot sustain such levels of illegal migration, or indeed, legal migration.”
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And when it was put to her that reforming the UN Refugee Convention is an unrealistic objective, she mentioned: “I am inviting my international partners to engage in an exercise of review and reform.
“Ultimately, I feel it is official to ask these questions whether or not the definition of refugee within the worldwide conventions continues to be match for function, whether or not the definition of persecution has been stretched past an inexpensive restrict, and that is in face of those excessive numbers that we at the moment are seeing.”
Source: information.sky.com”