Joe Lycett took an opportunity to roast the UK government’s immigration policy during the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Birmingham last night (28 July).
The comedian, who is from Birmingham, was one of the hosts at the event. Dressed in a frilly white and pink tracksuit, he said: “I’m thrilled to be here next to all these pyrotechnics in this highly flammable outfit.
“I’m going to do something now that the British government doesn’t always do, and welcome some foreigners – this time from the region of Asia.”
He later retweeted a clip of the comment, with the words: “soz @pritipatel just a bit of banter tehehe.”
“I love you @joelycett,” posted one person in response to Lycett’s dig. “And this ceremony is amazing because Priti Patel will be rocking constantly in a corner.”
“Best line of the night. The outfit was pretty fly too,” added another.
“Spot on Joe. Welcome everyone to Brum,” wrote a third, with a smiley face emoji.
This week, the home secretary was told by a parliamentary committee that she must reconsider a deal to send asylum seekers to Rwanda because it is not safe enough and may break the law.
A letter to Patel warned that removing people against their will to “another state where they face a real risk of serious human rights abuses” is prohibited under international law.
The High Court was also told that several asylum seekers selected for removal to Rwanda by British authorities have since been identified as potential victims of trafficking.
The opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games took place at the Alexander Stadium last night. Read The Independent’s review of the evening here.
