Priti Patel: outrage at former Home Secretary after Christmas card shows her as fairy ‘gifting’ Rwanda policy

The Christmas card, which has reportedly been given to political colleagues by Patel, also shows a cartoon Boris Johnson opening presents under the tree
Priti Patel has been criticised for her Christmas card which depicts her as a fairy gifting her controversial Rwanda policy. (Credit: Twitter)Priti Patel has been criticised for her Christmas card which depicts her as a fairy gifting her controversial Rwanda policy. (Credit: Twitter)
Priti Patel has been criticised for her Christmas card which depicts her as a fairy gifting her controversial Rwanda policy. (Credit: Twitter)

Former Home Secretary Priti Patel has been criticised after handing out a Christmas card which depicted her as a fairy on top of a tree “gifting” major policies of hers - including the controversial Rwanda scheme. While in the role, Patel introduced the policy which aims to send some asylum seekers to the African country while their application to enter the UK is considered.

The Christmas card, drawn in a cartoon-style, is said to have been sent by Patel to her political colleagues, as reported by The Daily Express. It also features a drawing of Boris Johnson under the tree opening the policy presents, with other policies such as the points-based immigration system, law and order and Ukraine also featuring.

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Opposition MPs have accused Patel of a “basic lack of human decency”. Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman and Mp for Orkney and Shetland, Alistair Carmichael, said: “We have seen Priti Patel’s lack of basic human decency time and time again – why should we expect anything less at Christmastime?

“This is the Christmas card of someone who read the nativity story and thought King Herod had the right idea. If Priti Patel had been around, Mary, Joseph and Jesus would have been on their way to Rwanda before the three wise men could arrive.”

A Labour source salso told The Express: “Given that Priti Patel’s Tory legacy is record low arrest and charge rates against criminals and record high dangerous boat crossings you’d think she’d want to hide under the Christmas tree, not claim to be the fairy on top of it.”

The policy has been controversial since it was announced in April 2022. The move prompted Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby top describe it as “the opposite of the nature of God”, while asylum and migrant charities such as Detention Action said: “We think it’s inhumane, it’s going to be very expensive, and it won’t be effective.”

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Despite Patel leaving the role of Home Secretary in September, the policy is still popular within the Conservative government and new Home Secretary Suella Braverman - who previously said it would be her “dream” to see a flight to Rwanda take off - is aiming to proceed with the policy. The government’s position was bolstered after the High Court announced this week that the scheme is in fact legal, after last ditch legal attempts from campaigners to block the flights.

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