Suella Braverman, UK minister, slammed for saying deporting refugees to Rwanda is her 'dream'

UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman has said it is her “dream” to see a flight deporting migrants to Rwanda, drawing backlash from social media users.

Braverman made the comments at Chopper's Politics Live podcast at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham on Tuesday.

To be even more heartless than Priti Patel... takes some doing https://t.co/FL79lMFapj

— Ben McAleer (@BenMcAleer1) October 4, 2022

"I would love to be having a front page of The Telegraph with a plane taking off to Rwanda. That’s my dream, that’s my dream, it's my obsession," she said. 

Many slammed her "heartless dream" of wanting to deport refugees to Africa, many of whom arrived in the UK fleeing from persecution or war. 

Some said she was "worse" than Priti Patel, referencing her predecessor who notoriously struck a deal to deport migrants to Rwanda. TV Presenter Craig Wilde tweeted that he was "appalled but not shocked" by her comments. 

Appalled but not shocked . 😞 https://t.co/wkrYbieHZg

— Craig Wilde (@craigwilde) October 4, 2022

One Twitter user said they were “embarrassed to share an island with these deranged, twisted,  individualso [sic].”

Embarrassed to share an island with these deranged, twisted, individualso. https://t.co/vdSIaJ9VIT

— Kyle Jones 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@KyleJonesIV) October 4, 2022

Another said: "Her dream involves the suffering of people who are trying to find safety from war, torture and persecution!!!"

Her dream involves the suffering of people who are trying to find safety from war, torture and persecution!!!

I hope Santa gives you a lump of coal @SuellaBraverman x https://t.co/5HD6FBIUae

— Aaliyah Burns (@aaliyahmburns) October 4, 2022

In the same interview, Braverman - whose parents are from Mauritius and Kenya - said she was "proud of the British Empire".

Earlier on Tuesday, The Times reported that Braverman would announce a law that would ban migrants who cross the English Channel from claiming asylum.

The number of migrants crossing the Channel from France has surged this year. Many of those on the small boats are from the Middle East. 

Rather than offering safe, legal routes for people to claim asylum in the UK - which is only available in limited cases such as Ukraine - many are forced to undertake the perilous journey in order to reach safety.

Braverman sparked further controversy on Tuesday by saying that the UK should scrap the European Convention on Human Rights. 

"That is not government policy, I should say, government policy is to do everything we can within the convention, within the boundaries of the convention," Braverman told The Spectator at the Conservative Party conference.

"But if that doesn't work, then we will have to consider all options."