Rishi Sunak chose a bold look for his trip to Kent and the internet put the boot in
On Monday, Rishi Sunak went to Dover to give an update on the government’s ‘Stop the boats’ programme. He used an RAF helicopter for the 74-mile trip, which would have taken an hour by train.
He's genuinely never seen a train in his life, has he? https://t.co/C6tLEbSLaZ
— The London Economic (@LondonEconomic) June 5, 2023
He claimed that the government’s plan to reduce or stop small boats crossing the Channel is working, but others disagreed.
Left: Rishi Sunak, "In the 5 months since I launched the plan small boat crossings down 20%"
Right: Stephen Kinnock, "The reduction is due to bad weather in the channel during May. I don't think an asylum strategy based on the weather is a particularly sustainable strategy." pic.twitter.com/R5p1jnlBE0
— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) June 5, 2023
The government’s cost-cutting solution of housing asylum seekers offshore played a big part, with newly purchased prison ships barges and locations announced in the speech.
EXCL: Thousands of asylum seekers could be housed in vessels moored near Newcastle, Harwich, Felixstowe and the Royal London docks – with two announced today by Rishi Sunak moored near Liverpool & at Teesport. https://t.co/hKlchTqZCc
— Pippa Crerar (@PippaCrerar) June 5, 2023
Once again, he either missed or ignored the point.
"If you are coming here illegally, claiming sanctuary from death, torture or persecution…"
Under international law, if you are fleeing death, torture or persecution you are coming here legally. #SafeRoutesNow pic.twitter.com/JGXIHRjCFX
— Best for Britain (@BestForBritain) June 5, 2023
It all gave Twitter a lot of food for thought.
1.
Another unwanted grifter arriving by small boat. pic.twitter.com/RaSw5C8vJz
— Parody Rishi Sunak (@Parody_PM) June 5, 2023
2.
It's no wonder he used a small font. pic.twitter.com/7xYkH6SpSc
— Mike Holden 💙 (@MikeHolden42) June 5, 2023
3.
To mark #WorldEnvironmentDay I used a helicopter to travel 70 miles to Dover, which I could have done by train in an hour.
— Parody Rishi Sunak (@Parody_PM) June 5, 2023
4.
Don’t understand why is he laughing pic.twitter.com/x8r73vxzx9
— Catio Miles 🌎 💫 🇺🇦 (@CatioMiles) June 5, 2023
5.
"I'll catch these small boats for you, but it ain't gonna be easy… " pic.twitter.com/LRT0zhu0FF
— Captain Howdy (@MajorPazuzu) June 5, 2023
6.
“Struggling to deal with lots of small boats carrying asylum-seekers? Why not consolidate those boats into one large, more manageable boat…” https://t.co/XfVgVLsf0t pic.twitter.com/ZYri5YxQmU
— Nick Pettigrew🇺🇦 (@Nick_Pettigrew) June 5, 2023
7.
Richi Sunak burning through tax payers money like it was his own.https://t.co/wVKgJ8Rn79
— Mark Ingall lives in Bush Fair (@mingall63) June 5, 2023
Apart from the arguably flawed policy, wasteful travel choices and fudged statistics, what caught a lot of people’s attention was the footwear.
8.
"Any questions?"
* hands up *
"That aren't about the boots"
* hands down * pic.twitter.com/DEZ12OCTXQ
— Eugene (@eugeneh84) June 5, 2023
9.
Those boots look like they were robbed off a corpse on Everest pic.twitter.com/zSBox3n1Ww
— Gwdihŵ 🦉 (@youwouldknow) June 5, 2023
10.
I mean, I have a mid-life-crisis leather jacket, but those boots… pic.twitter.com/lR9fe5kO4K
— Prof Paul Bernal (@PaulbernalUK) June 5, 2023
11.
I agree with Sunak we really need to Stop The Boots pic.twitter.com/mqfWWimc65
— dave ❄️ 🥕 🧻 (@mrdavemacleod) June 5, 2023
12.
May I congratulate whoever was in charge of podium selection, and advice on footwear choice, for a superb effort pic.twitter.com/i5TntqMeXo
— Simone Dumergue (@sdumergue5) June 5, 2023
13.
pants so tight they can't even cover your boots pic.twitter.com/ktZXvIBRkf
— derek guy (@dieworkwear) June 5, 2023
14.
"When I said make sure his trousers reach his shoes….." pic.twitter.com/N4HiLL6W9Y
— Colin the Dachshund (@DachshundColin) June 5, 2023
15.
https://t.co/xif1scnzZM pic.twitter.com/3jxIbeyMjz
— Rob B (@RobBfromDerby) June 5, 2023
16.
Why is he wearing boots? Is it snowing in Kent? pic.twitter.com/LKxIbirKLq
— 🇪🇺 Frank 🏳🌈 (@ChillaxBcn) June 5, 2023
The boots made even less sense when compared to the shoes Sunak had worn for the flight.
As one of my followers pointed out earlier, pic1 is (I believe) Sunak getting into his taxpayer-funded helicopter today, pic2 is the press conference. If so, he *changed into that getup*. pic.twitter.com/NzfsW9aCKj
— Mike Holden 💙 (@MikeHolden42) June 5, 2023
The temptation to add a soundtrack proved too strong to resist for @Mister_Woodo.
I spent entirely too long on this even though it wasn't long at all.#StopTheBoots pic.twitter.com/HIsiAJ3rga
— Woodo (@Mister_Woodo) June 5, 2023
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The SNP’s Stephen Flynn’s takedown of Rishi Sunak’s ‘stop the boats’ policy was brilliantly done
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