A BBC reporter has come under fire for using “disgusting” and "inflammatory" language about migrants arriving in the UK.
Michael Keohan, a political reporter with BBC Kent, has been fiercely criticised after appearing to frame Britain’s response to the arrivals of asylum seekers as being like a war.
Speaking from Dover on the BBC’s rolling news channel on Thursday ahead of Suella Braverman’s visit, Keohan said: “This will be one of the places the Home Secretary will come to see for herself exactly how the UK is defending itself on the frontline against migrants.”
Unbelievably inflammatory rhetoric by BBC reporter Michael Keohan “The Home Secretary has come to Dover to see for herself how the UK is defending itself on the front line against migrants” How is framing it as a war in any way appropriate? @Ofcom#BBCNews #BBCYourQuestions pic.twitter.com/uZOGmsIoG3
— 🇮🇹Fórcola🏴 (@Frcola1) November 3, 2022
It comes amid a period of heightened tensions around the debate about the UK’s immigration policy following an attack by a far-right extremist on an immigration centre in Dover on Sunday.
Braverman has also been accused of contributing to heightened tensions by branding the arrival of migrants as an “invasion”.
The Home Secretary visited the Manston immigration facility on Thursday by travelling in a Chinook helicopter from Dover - which is about a 30-minute drive away.
She has pledged to crack down on small boats crossing the English Channel and has described the UK’s asylum system as “broken”.
Keohan’s comments have sparked a Twitter backlash after they were shared by an account who asked: “How is framing it as a war in any way appropriate?”
The anonymous account tagged broadcast regulator Ofcom in the post.
Comedian Susie McCabe was one of those responding to the video, saying: “Defending itself against people on boats who have nothing … Jesus wept.”
Political commentator Fuad Alakbarov said the video was “disgusting” and added: “This BBC journo should be ashamed of himself”.
Kirsteen Fraser, an equalities officer with the SNP, said: “We need to stop framing every single thing under the sun as a war.
“These are people trying to find a better life - free from war, poverty, famine, and natural disasters- using words and phrases like this is absolutely abhorrent and WILL get people abused, hurt or even killed.”
The National has approached the BBC for comment.
