Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, has launched a scathing attack on the Labour Party, accusing them of passing human rights laws that allow criminals to exploit the UK's immigration system. In a fiery speech at the Conservative Party conference, Braverman pledged to crack down on what she called the "hurricane" of global migration.
Labour blamed for flawed system
In her speech, Braverman criticized Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, for being weak on border control. She also blamed the last Labour government for creating a flawed system that has made it difficult for the UK to effectively manage immigration. Braverman pointed to the misnamed Human Rights Act, which she said Labour turbocharged, as one of the main culprits.
"Our country has become enmeshed in a dense net of international rules that were designed for another era. And it is Labour that turbocharged their impact by passing the misnamed Human Rights Act. I am surprised they didn’t call it the Criminal Rights Act," Braverman said.
Tackling illegal migration
Braverman's speech also focused on the challenges of dealing with illegal migration. She highlighted the difficulties in removing foreign criminals, obtaining accurate data on the ages of asylum seekers, and confiscating smartphones from illegal migrants arriving on beaches. Braverman vowed to take bold action to address these issues.
"The biggest reason why Conservative governments have struggled to get illegal migration under control is because Labour governments passed laws that inhibit effective action. We struggle to remove foreign criminals. We struggle to get accurate data on the ages of those who claim asylum; We struggle even to confiscate smartphones from illegal migrants landing on our beaches," she stated.
Reactions and potential succession
Braverman's hardline stance on immigration has garnered support from MPs on the right of the Conservative Party and grassroots members. Some Tory MPs have even called for Britain to leave the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) due to recent attacks on the court. Braverman's stance on curbing small boat crossings has also gained attention, with a plan to send arrivals to Kigali currently under scrutiny by the Supreme Court.
Despite facing criticism from some colleagues, including Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt, who refused to endorse her claims that "multiculturalism has failed," Braverman is seen as a potential successor to Mr. Sunak if he loses the next election.
Tackling loopholes and sex offenders
In addition to her focus on immigration, Braverman intends to tackle loopholes that allow sex offenders to exploit the system. She will unveil plans to ban sex offenders from changing their gender or name to avoid being placed on the sexual offences register.
