Alf Dubs: Braverman calling refugees ‘invaders’ was low point of my career

Alf Dubs, nan seasoned Labour adjacent who arrived successful nan UK arsenic a kid fleeing nan Nazis, has described Suella Braveman’s likening of refugees to invaders arsenic “deeply and personally upsetting”, and a debased constituent of his half period successful politics.

Dubs, who fled what was past Czechoslovakia unaccompanied successful 1939 and came to nan UK aged six arsenic portion of nan Kindertransport system, condemned nan location caput for utilizing connection that painted those besides fleeing persecution arsenic “hostile people”.

Dubs’ comments, made successful a caller podcast bid presented by nan Lord Speaker, John McFall, travel disapproval of Braverman by different subsister of nan Holocaust past month.

In comments made successful October, soon aft she was reappointed by Rishi Sunak, Braverman said successful nan Commons that refugees and migrants crossing nan Channel successful mini boats were “the penetration connected our confederate coast”.

Asked by McFall to database nan highs and lows of his governmental career, Dubs cited nan comments alongside nan acquisition of losing his Commons spot successful 1987 and past being unemployed for a year.

“I person to say, erstwhile nan location caput talks astir refugees arsenic invaders, I find that profoundly and personally upsetting. Upsetting because invaders are seen arsenic an enemy,” he said.

“Invaders are dispute people, whereas what we’re talking astir are group who are fleeing from war, persecution, threats to their information and truthful on. And I deliberation we beryllium them a spot of compassion.”

Speaking to McFall connected nan Lord Speaker’s Corner podcast, Dubs said his acquisition of travelling to nan UK unsocial amid an removal of chiefly Jewish refugees organised by nan British humanitarian Nicholas Winton had greatly shaped his outlook.

“I don’t deliberation 1 tin spell done that benignant of acquisition without it having immoderate effect connected one,” said Dubs, who was reunited pinch his parents successful London.

“And my belief is that I felt nan rumor of refugees was important then, and is important now, and it’s important, for those of america that person a chance to play successful nationalist life, to make usage of our acquisition and to usage it arsenic efficaciously arsenic we can.”

Braverman was challenged complete her comments during a gathering successful her Fareham constituency successful Hampshire past month. Joan Salter, 83, who fled Belgium arsenic a kid successful 1943, likened them to nan rhetoric utilized by nan Nazis.

“When I perceive you utilizing words against refugees for illustration ‘swarms’ and an ‘invasion’, I americium reminded of nan connection utilized to dehumanise and warrant nan execution of my family and millions of others,” she said. “Why do you find nan request to usage that benignant of language?”

Braverman based on successful consequence that nan standard of unofficial migration was dissimilar thing seen earlier and she would not “apologise for nan connection that I person utilized to show nan standard of nan problem”.

A root adjacent to Braverman said: “The location caput has a work to beryllium honorable pinch nan British group astir nan standard of nan situation connected nan southbound seashore and won’t awkward distant from that.”