Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email
Please enter a valid email address
Please enter a valid email address
SIGN UP
I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice
Thanks for signing up to the
View from Westminster email
{{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}
Sir Elton John and Sir Ian McKellan have lead criticism of Suella Braverman, accusing her “legitimising hate and violence” against gay people following her “dog whistle” speech on migration.
The home secretary sparked outcry in the LGBT+ community over her US speech on Tuesday, in which she said “simply being gay” should not by itself be enough to gain protection under international refugee laws.
Despite a barrage of criticism, Ms Braverman doubled own on Wednesday by claiming that there “many instances” of asylum seekers pretending to be gay to “game the system”.
Elton John and husband David Furnish have condemned the home secretary
(Getty Images)
Leading calls denouncing the remarks, Sir Elton and his long-term parter David Furnish, released a statement saying they were “very concerned” by her comments, calling for “more compassion, support and acceptance for those seeking a safer future”.
Recommended Braverman rejects claim she lacks compassion amid speech backlash Braverman refugee speech remarks defended by fellow Cabinet minister Longest, fastest, zaniest: Guinness World Records celebrates the 'crazy, fun, inspiring'
They were joined by acting legend Sir Ian, who said Ms Braverman’s remarks were “laced with a good dollop of predjudice” in a bid to “chase” votes.
Sir Ian said Ms Braverman’s generalisations about gay asylum seekers were “very, very broad”, telling Channel 4 News: “It sounds to me as if it’s laced with a good dollop of prejudice and hoping that she’s going to get a few votes because of it.”
He added: “There are certain people in China and Russia and Iraq whose said, ‘There are no gay people in our country’. When you’ve got that sort of stupid attitude that can lead to great cruelty. And if someone’s escaping from that they ought to be welcomed to this country.”
Recommended Braverman accused of ‘dog whistle’ leadership bid as migrant speech sparks outrage from gay community In the eyes of every lawyer I’ve spoken to, Suella Braverman has overstepped the mark ‘Who’s most right wing? I am!’: Suella Braverman’s shameless leadership bid
The powerful intervention from Elton and his husband said: “We are very concerned about the UK home secetary’s comments stating how discrimination for being gay or a woman should not be reason enough to qualify for protection under international refugee laws.”
“Nearly a third of all nations class LGBTQ+ people as criminals and homosexuality is still punishable by death in 11 countries. Dismissing the very real danger LGBTQ+ communities face risks further legitimising hate and violence against them”.
Ms Braverman was accused of “picking on” gay people and “throwing under the bus” – with senior Tories warning that she had alienated the LGBT+ voters and revived the “nasty party” reputuation.
Suella Braverman called for reform of the UN Refugee Convention
(PA Wire)
One former Tory cabinet minister, who claimed the Conservatives had won the support of almost all gay voters after making same-sex marriages legal in 2013, told The Independent that Ms Braverman had torpedoed the party’s LGBT+ credentials.
“In one speech this has cut off the gay vote to the Conservative Party,” they said. “It is a constituency which has been in one swoop alienated.”
The senior Tory added: “The damage to the party is one thing; but the international trashing of Britain as a fair and humane place for those who are persecuted has taken an horrendous backward step.”
Another senior Tory, a former minister, told The Independent: “Gays are being thrown under a bus. It’s a sizeable vote to dismiss.”
Ms Braverman called on world leaders to make major changes to the UN Refugee Convention, arguing it had become too generous. “We will not be able to sustain an asylum system if in effect simply being gay, or a woman, and fearful of discrimination in your country of origin is sufficient to qualify for protection.”
Responding to criticism on Wednesday, while still in the US, Ms Braverman said it was “flippant” to suggest that her speech was aimed at boosting her leadership credentials. “I am here working as home secretary,” she told the Press Association.
The cabinet minister, grilled on Sir Elton’s criticism about her comments on gay refugees, rejected claims she was lacking in compassion. “I don’t think that is true.”
Doubling down, Ms Braverman later told ITV’s Peston: “People do game the system – they purport to be homosexual in the effort to game our system, in the effort to get special treatment. That’s not fair. It’s not right. I’m afraid we do see many instances when people purport to be gay when they’re not actually gay.”
Andrew Boff – a leading Tory London Assembly member who is patron of the LGBT+ Conservatives group – told The Independent that Ms Braverman was indulging in “dog whistle” politics to appeal to the right.
Mr Boff warned that Ms Braverman could revive the ghost of the “nasty party” on LGBT+ issues. “We had not too a good record in years gone by, but we have a more proud one in recent years – we introduced equal marriage, we are heading towards zero new HIV infections. So the home secretary’s comments are not helpful or accurate,” he said.
Braverman has suffered huge backlash to her ‘cruel’ speech
(AP)
Jayne Ozanne, the Tory government’s former LGBT+ adviser, told The Independent that the Tories could lose millions of votes over its rhetoric and policy.
“I’m appalled that Braverman picking on a small minority of claims from LGBT refugees – she is scapegoating a community. What concerns me is the silence from so many LGBT Tory MPs – that’s deeply distressing.”
She added: “The Tories will pay a price for this. The government has shown it no longer cares about the pink vote. They’ve undermined all trust from the LGBT community – and their friends and allies. It’s no longer a small minority group. Millions of voters care about these issues.”
The leading campaigner, who quit her role and the Tory party in 2021 over the failure to implement a ban on conversion therapy, added: “It looks like they have no intention of bringing in the ban. They have shown cowardice and moral failure.”
Culture secretary Lucy Frazer has declined to commit to keeping the UK in the UN Refugee Convention. Pressed repeatedly, she told Sky News: “What [Braverman] was talking about is whether those sorts of conventions should be reformed.”
Downing Street confirmed that Rishi Sunak signed off on Ms Braverman’s controversial speech. No 10 said the address “went through the normal process”.
But Tory peer Lord Hayward said it was up to Ms Braverman, rather the PM, to justify her remarks. “She has to show that avenue of the system is being abused – the burden rests on her, not other people in the party.”
The polling expert played down the prospect that Ms Braverman would lose the Tories lots of votes. “The party’s reputation on LGBT+ issues has turned around. One set of comments doesn’t change that. I would be more concerned about the [delayed] policy on conversion therapy. It could have more impact.”
Recommended UN refugee agency and charities reject Braverman asylum comments
In an unusual move, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) rebuked Ms Braverman’s speech after she claimed global leaders had failed to reform asylum rules because they fear being called “racist”. The international body said the 1951 Refugee Convention “remains a life-saving instrument”.
The UNHCR also rejected Ms Braverman’s claim that asylum seekers should face more than just discrimination for being gay if they are to qualify as a refugee. “Where individuals are at risk of persecution on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity, it is crucial that they are able to seek safety and protection,” it said.
More about Elton John Suella Braverman David Furnish LGBT+ LGBTQ+ Ian McKellan
Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments
1/ 4Elton leads backlash over Braverman call to crack down on gay refugees
Elton leads backlash over Braverman call to crack down on gay refugees
Elton John and husband David Furnish have condemned the home secretary
Getty Images
Elton leads backlash over Braverman call to crack down on gay refugees
Suella Braverman called for reform of the UN Refugee Convention
PA Wire
Elton leads backlash over Braverman call to crack down on gay refugees
Braverman has suffered huge backlash to her ‘cruel’ speech
AP
Elton leads backlash over Braverman call to crack down on gay refugees
Elton released a statement via their AIDS Foundation calling for ‘more compassion, support and acceptance for those seeking a safer future’
AP
？ Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Subscribe
Already subscribed? Log in