Labour MP Clive Lewis has sparked outrage after comparing the government's plan to temporarily house refugees in a south coast holiday park to "concentration camps".
Speaking on the BBC's Politics Live earlier today, the MP for Norwich South made the comment during a discussion on the government's new plan to tackle illegal migration.
In a discussion about today's i newspaper front page, Mr Lewis said, "I'm looking at that headline, 'Pontins revolt: Tory backlash at plans to house migrants in holiday camps'. Let's be really clear here: my understanding is if you put a group of people concentrated into a camp, as you did in South Africa in the Boer War, that's what you call a concentration camp."
Seemingly in recognition of the weight of the term, he then said, "I'm not making any..." before he was interrupted by Conservative MP Damian Green who said, "You just have. That's ridiculous."
On Politics Live earlier today, MP Clive Lewis described government plans to host refugees in a holiday park as a 'concentration camp'
— The Jewish Chronicle (@JewishChron) December 14, 2022
He said: “You’ve got a group of people concentrated into a camp – as you did in the Boer War, it’s what you call a concentration camp” pic.twitter.com/VbBCExQoXN
Mr Lewis then said, "It's a concentration of people..." before he was interrupted by Jewish presenter Jo Coburn who said, "Clive, that's a big statement."
The comments have been roundly condemned online, with Jewish journalist Noa Hoffman calling them "grossly offensive", and former Labour MP Ian Austin labelling the comments "utterly disgraceful".
A Labour spokesperson told the JC that the remarks were “clearly not appropriate” and added that any potential disciplinary action against Mr Lewis would be decided by the party's whips.
Yesterday, prime minister Rishi Sunak announced the government's new plan to tackle the migrant crisis, and this morning four people died in the English Channel after their small boat capsized.
Mr Lewis previously drew criticism for attending a parliamentary event organised by activists suspended from the party for alleged antisemitism.
