Rishi Sunak will treat as extremist anyone who ‘vilifies’ Britain – 27 totally on-point responses
As Rishi Sunak falls further behind his Tory leadership rival Liz Truss in the race to become the next PM, the former Chancellor has come up with a new wheeze to appeal to the Conservative party faithful.
Specifically, he’s going to widen the definition of ‘extremism’ to include people who ‘vilify’ Britain under plans to refer them to the government’s controversial anti-terrorism strategy, Prevent.
Here’s how the Telegraph reported it today.
People who vilify Britain will be treated as extremists and referred to the Government’s deradicalisation Prevent programme under plans by Rishi Sunak. https://t.co/ukgih4RgeU pic.twitter.com/yTr3q289cd
— Charles Hymas (@charleshymas) August 3, 2022
And it prompted no end of mockery (and trepidation) on Twitter. These 27 people surely said it best.
1.
Rishi Sunak to round up people who "speak or write about the UK in an abusively disparaging manner". THAT'S not at all scary. pic.twitter.com/QVERRWwtXr
— Otto English (@Otto_English) August 3, 2022
2.
Lord. Possibly not long now until historians and people like me get reported to Prevent for not glorifying British history. It's a beautiful twist that this would happen under an Asian PM. Well done everyone. https://t.co/jMowXuxV0Q
— Sathnam Sanghera (@Sathnam) August 3, 2022
3.
10 years in prison for calling the UK a “bad vibes country”. https://t.co/HFBeEjNBFe
— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) August 3, 2022
4.
*A Patriotism enforcer sits across the table from me*
"First question, in history, Britain have always been…"
Me: "…Less than ideal"
*The patriotism enforcer presses the re-education buzzer sending electric shocks directly into my brain* https://t.co/ENczW8O5vq— TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) August 3, 2022
5.
Rishi Sunak throwing me in Nonce Wing for saying English breakfasts are inferior to cheerios
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) August 3, 2022
6.
I glanced over this thinking it must be a parody account. But no.
Whatever happened to British values of free speech, tolerance, differing viewpoints?
No wonder there'll be no room for tax cuts if we're busy setting up re-education camps https://t.co/I1UkuMp9Df— Jon Sopel (@jonsopel) August 3, 2022
7.
If you say the word "gammon" you're going to the Gulag https://t.co/ilxLtxRsZn
— Dr Philip Lee (@drphiliplee1) August 3, 2022
8.
obviously this would be impossible to implement, but these types of announcements are interesting mainly because of what they say about the deep fantasies of conservative party members https://t.co/hdBl8p1r3C
— HK (@HKesvani) August 3, 2022
9.
Thrown in jail for photoshopping Rishi Sunak getting progressively shorter until he is Borrower height https://t.co/cZduFh6jux
— Mollie Goodfellow (@hansmollman) August 3, 2022
10.
Britain is a money-laundering kleptocracy-enabling disgrace and the government is shamefully complicit.
Shall I send Prevent my address? Or does this only apply to ethnic minorities?https://t.co/5oZHDh42El
— Oliver Bullough (@OliverBullough) August 3, 2022
11.
being sent to reeducation camps to learn that it's cool to enjoy not being able to get a doctor's appointment, bus, or house in the country, god save the queen https://t.co/tGuE4AATIu
— stephen (@stepheniscowboy) August 3, 2022
12.
Just checked with Rishi and by 'vilify Britain' he means anyone who thinks Brexit isn't perfect, who disagrees with any Tory policy, who owns fewer than 3 Union Jacks or who does not consider photos of Margaret Thatcher to be wanking material. https://t.co/DAzCQcslze
— Parody Boris (@Parody_PM) August 3, 2022
13.
Liverpool fans being processed outside the deradicalisation centre after booing the national anthem. https://t.co/3ueEFYrgri pic.twitter.com/O7Yo797tBd
— Biggies Malls 2.0 (@Biggies_MaIIs) August 3, 2022
14.
Vilifying Britain is exactly what anyone with any pretensions to be British *does*. It's somewhere between a hobby and a full-time job. https://t.co/CejZF0JuoW
— KJ Charles (@kj_charles) August 3, 2022
