IN the midst of Bojo’s Cabinet cull there was little sympathy for Caroline Nokes who found out she’d been sacked as immigration minister … on Twitter.
The Daily Mail’s deputy political editor John Stevens, who also chairs the Parliamentary Press Gallery, tweeted simply: “Caroline Nokes sacked.”
Nokes, who has presided over the Tory Government’s hostile environment policy towards migrants, retorted on the social media platform: “Good of you to tell me first.”
She later tweeted about the “enormous honour” of serving in Theresa May’s government for three years, and added: “I look forward to returning to the backbenches and championing the issues of Romsey and Southampton North residents. My successor as Immigration Minister undoubtedly has a massive challenge ahead.”
Reaction in the Twittersphere was swift and damning.
Twitter user Uzma said: “I agree it's a massive challenge and I hope your successor will treat migrants as humans and not animals. In fact animals have more rights than someone trying to extend their stay in the UK. Reform the entire immigration system PLEASE,” while Johnny Batchelor wondered: “Will she not have to go to a detention centre first?”
Another user, Charlie, brought home the truth of the hostile environment: “Maybe u will have time to reply to the letter i sent u in January before u forced my husband back to a country he’d not lived for 23 years to live in squalor.”
And Iain Macintosh summed up the views of many, when he tweeted: “I think you should aspire to be something other than an MP. You have failed miserably in your ministerial role but more than that your voting record suggests your main aim is to minimise any harm to your career rather than take a stand or reflect the views of Romsey voters.”
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