Concerns about Suella Braverman’s “xenophobic and anti-immigrant” rhetoric have been raised.

Charities, politicians, academics and other campaigners have joined together to call for the removal of the Home Secretary, just days after her re-appointment. 

Suella Braverman was given the job of leading the Home Office last week, just a week after resigning following a reported breach of the ministerial code. 

Ms Braverman, a right-wing appointment, has been repeatedly criticised for her anti-immigrant positions. 

In October 2022 she told a Telegraph podcast that it was her “dream” to see a flight of refugees sent to Rwanda. This was despite the first attempted flight by the UK to send asylum seekers to the country in June resulted in many being restrained and attached to plane seats after self-harming and threatening suicide.

Now, over 200 groups and individuals have come together, led by a Scottish charity, to call for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to sack Ms Braverman. 

An open letter, authored by refugee group Positive Action in Housing (PAIH), warns of “grave concerns about the way your Government is handling its responsibilities under the International Refugee Convention of 1951”, claiming that the Home Secretary had blocked attempts to transfer asylum seekers from overcrowded accommodation. 

The letter follows an attack on a migrant centre in Dover, where a number of petrol bombs were used ot target the Border Force centre. 

Signatories to the letter include members of PAIH, MSPs and MPs from Labour and the SNP, trade union representatives, academics and legal experts. 

The letter reads: “It is shocking that your Home Secretary stoked xenophobia and anti-immigrant hatred to the point of blocking human beings from being transferred out of a disease-ridden, overcrowded camp. Her dreams of planes to Rwanda are real-life nightmares for desperate refugees. 

“After the arson attack at Dover, 700 more asylum seekers have been transferred to Manston, causing worsening overcrowding. This is a reminder that hate rhetoric by ministers can have deadly consequences. The Home Secretary’s decisions to block transfers and hate speech led in no small way to this.

“You said you want your government to have 'integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level,' yet you have just appointed Suella Braverman to be home secretary again, a week after she resigned for breaches of the ministerial code and security lapses. 

“Now is the time act. As Prime Minister and Minister for the Union, we call on you to stop pandering to the far right, sack Suella Braverman and put in place someone who can do the job of Home Secretary with a shred of humanity and decency.” 

No.10 Downing Street was approached for comment.