Conservative MP Brendan Clarke-Smith praised Priti Patel’s more extreme proposals to tackle the recent influx of migrant boats, hitting out at the “do-gooders” who did not support her – only to infuriate his own online critics.
Patel, the home secretary, announced on Thursday that she was pushing to give Border Force officials the authority to turn large migrant boats arriving in the UK back to the French shore.
The controversial measure has not been backed by the French authorities, who claim it is a breach of maritime law and that it would not be safe to encourage migrants back into dangerous conditions. Patel has been scrutinised by the general public too.
Clarke-Smith, who includes a Politico quote in his Twitter bio describing him as the “new poster boy of the Tory right”, tweeted on Thursday to Patel’s new drastic tactics.
He said: “Well done @pritipatel.
“This is exactly the sort of tough action we all want to see. Forget what the do-gooders say.”
He included a waving hand emoji, the UK flag, a rowing boat and an arrow to the French flag in his message.
Well done @pritipatel. This is exactly the sort of tough action we all want to see. Forget what the do-gooders say??????? https://t.co/KocNMKjngw
— Brendan Clarke-Smith MP (@Bren4Bassetlaw) September 9, 2021
However, not many people online shared the sentiment.
Comedian Dom Joly tweeted: “The state of this...”
Richard Innes also wrote: “Says so much about this Tory govt that they think people looking to ‘do good’ are the enemy.”
Another account wrote: “Fancy being proud of yourself for publicly stating this.”
Others wondered why Clarke-Smith was so against “do-gooders” – and whether that meant he was describing himself as a “do-badder”.
Some Twitter accounts tore into Clarke-Smith for his bold words, claiming he was not representing his constituents in Bassetlaw with such a tweet – others claimed the tweet itself seemed like a parody.
