'Dog whistle politics': MPs and charities slam Home Secretary's speech on asylum seekers

Suella Braverman has been accused of peddling 'dog-whistle politics' after demanding rules protecting refugees which were drawn up in the aftermath of World War Two are torn up. During a speech in America the Home Secretary said that while LGBT people face persecution in many parts of the world, 'simply being gay, or a woman, and fearful of discrimination' isn't sufficient to qualify for asylum.

In an attack on asylum seekers, Ms Braverman also accused those trying to reach the UK of 'shopping around', saying 'not all' of those who died making dangerous crossings were 'genuine asylum seekers'.

Rochdale MP Tony Lloyd was among those criticising the Home Secretary's remarks. He tweeted: "Homosexuality is criminalised and even subject to the death penalty in many countries.

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"It's a fact that LGBT+ people make up a tiny proportion of asylum claims. The Home Secretary chooses dog whistle politics and blames everyone else for problems of her own making. It's no way to run our country."

Ben Bradshaw, a gay Labour MP and former cabinet minister, also took aim at Mrs Braverman over her comments,. He tweeted: "Any LGBT or other Tories prepared to condemn Braverman for this?

"She doesn’t seem to grasp that simply being gay is enough to result in persecution or death in many countries."

Manchester University Chancellor, and former north west chief prosecutor, Nazir Afzal tweeted: "Yes Suella, the global refugee problem is bad but perhaps if we’d thought about this consequence before bombing their countries into oblivion, by supporting bigoted