Braverman Speech Bbc

WEB Suella Braverman speech is no Enoch Powell situation - Shapps

WEB Suella Braverman criticised by Labour over deeply divisive migration speech as it happened

The Home Secretary is expected to use her speech to promise a ban on sex offenders being able to change their..

Grant Shapps has said Suella Braverman's speech on immigration is "not a situation of Enoch Powell" and defended her right to speak her mind.

The home secretary is facing calls to resign after she likened illegal immigration to an "invasion" in a speech to the Conservative party conference.

Her comments were condemned by Labour and the Liberal Democrats, who accused her of using "divisive language".

However, Shapps said Braverman was "entitled to her opinion" and that it was "wrong" to compare her to Powell, whose "rivers of blood" speech in 1968 was widely seen as racist.

"I don't think it's a situation of Enoch Powell," Shapps told Sky News.

"Enoch Powell made a speech that was widely regarded as racist and deeply offensive. I don't think you can compare the two speeches in that way."

Braverman's speech was also defended by other Conservative MPs, including Nadine Dorries and Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Dorries said Braverman was "simply stating the facts" about illegal immigration, while Rees-Mogg said she was "right to speak her mind".

However, Labour leader Keir Starmer said Braverman's comments were "deeply divisive" and "not in the national interest".

"The home secretary's comments are a disgrace," Starmer said.

"They are divisive and they are not in the national interest. They are not the words of a home secretary. They are the words of a politician who is more interested in stoking division than in solving problems."

The Liberal Democrats also condemned Braverman's speech, with leader Ed Davey saying it was "dangerous and divisive".

"The home secretary's comments are a disgrace," Davey said.

"They are dangerous and divisive. They are not the words of a home secretary. They are the words of a politician who is more interested in stoking division than in solving problems."