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Rishi Sunak has been branded “desperate and pathetic” after accusing Labour of being “on the same side of criminal gangs” smuggling immigrants into the UK.
Senior Labour MPs have rounded in on the prime minister over a tweet sent from his official account on Tuesday.
Mr Sunak shared a link to a Daily Mail story alleging lawyers have helped people claim asylum on the basis of evidence they knew to be false.
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He said: “This is what we’re up against.
“The Labour Party, a subset of lawyers, criminal gangs – they’re all on the same side, propping up a system of exploitation that profits from getting people to the UK illegally.
“I have a plan to stop it.”
Shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry accused Mr Sunak of demeaning the role of prime minister.
She said: “Usually, I try and maintain some sense of respect for the office of the prime minister, but it’s just impossible when the man doing the job is willing to demean it like this.
“What a desperate attempt to deflect from his own dismal failures. Utterly pathetic.”
Labour frontbencher Jim McMahon, the shadow secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, wrote: “When all else is lost, the only place you have is the gutter.
“Poor yes. Desperate and pathetic from Sunak too.”
Labour MP Chris Bryant, who chairs the Commons Standards Committee, said: “In his desperation he has plumbed a new depth.
“My political opponents aren’t enemies, or enemies of the people or a ‘criminal gang’. He debases his office and forgets act (sic) as PM of the United Kingdom not seek to sow division.”
Tory figures were also critical of the comments with Tim Montgomerie, founder of the Conservative Home website, saying the remarks were “unbecoming from a prime minister”.
However, Mr Sunak’s tweet received support from some Conservative MPs.
Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Labour seem to want criminal gangs & deceptive lawyers to…
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