Suella Braverman: Sadiq Khan angry at ‘inflammatory’ comment on ‘migrant invasion’

Sadiq Khan said he is “heartbroken and angered” by home secretary Suella Braverman’s comments about a migrant “invasion” following the firebombing of a Kent detention centre.

The London mayor called on prime minister Rishi Sunak to “address issues” over the home secretary - who has faced pressure following revelations she sent government documents to her private email and allegations she refused to approve moving migrants to hotels.

And he said the language she used was “divisive and inflammatory”, adding: “She’s better than this.”

While minister for London Paul Scully defended the home secretary, saying she was referring to illegal immigration and had a “very challenging job”.

Addressing MPs in the House of Commons last night in a show of defiance, Ms Braverman said: “Let’s be clear about what is really going on here - the British people deserve to know who is serious about stopping the invasion of our southern coast and who is not.

"Let’s stop pretending they are all refugees in distress, the country knows that is not true."

The politician, who resigned from Liz Truss’ government before being reappointed days later by Sunak, added that she was "utterly serious about ending the scourge of illegal migration" and fixing "our hopelessly lax asylum system".

Speaking to LondonWorld during the Centre for London conference today (Tuesday, November 1), Mr Khan said: “I was surprised, shocked, heartbroken and angered by her comments last night in the House of Commons in relation to her views on immigration.

“I think the language she used last night was divisive and inflammatory. She’s better than this and she should reconsider the sort of language she uses.”

“Language does matter, particularly the day after a firebomb was thrown at a detention centre in Kent.”

The Labour figure added: “I think one of the reasons London is the greatest city in the world is the contribution made by successive generations of immigrants.

“There are many questions, about leaks, about competence, for the home secretary and I think it’s important for the prime minister to address those issues.”

However, Conservative minister for London Paul Scully, who is MP for Sutton and Cheam, defended Ms Braverman, saying the former attorney general had his confidence.

He said: “She’s got a really challenging job and when you see the pressures that are put on the French authorities and the Kent authorities and indeed around London where people are being housed.

“It’s a situation that we’ve just got to resolve and if it was easy we would have done it a long time ago. She’s got a massive job on her hands but she’s really determined to get it sorted.”

And he added that Ms Braverman was speaking about illegal immigration, saying: “Nobody is suggesting that we just shut immigration down entirely.

“I’m the son of an immigrant from Burma, I’m half Burmese.

“It’s making sure that we manage and control it well and stamp down on the pull factors that attract illegal immigrants and the human traffickers that feed on those illegal immigrants - that pernicious crime.

“Sometimes we can get that wrong if we’re not firm and resolute.”