PM won't back Suella Braverman claim 'multiculturalism' has 'failed'

Rishi Sunak fails to back Suella Braverman’s claim that ‘multiculturalism’ has ‘failed’ as PM praises Britain as a ‘fantastic multicultural democracy’

Rishi Sunak tonight put distance between himself and Suella Braverman as he repeatedly refused to back her claim that multiculturalism has ‘failed’.

The Prime Minister, when asked about his Home Secretary’s views, instead pointedly praised Britain as a ‘fantastic multicultural democracy’.

Mrs Braverman this week delivered a hardline speech on migration to a think-tank event in Washington DC during a visit to the US.

She claimed the ‘misguided dogma of multiculturalism’ had ‘failed because it allowed people to come to our society and live parallel lives in it’.

The Home Secretary suggested it has allowed them to ‘pursue lives aimed at undermining the stability and threatening the security of our society’.

Rishi Sunak put distance between himself and Suella Braverman as he repeatedly refused to back her claim that multiculturalism has ‘failed’

The Prime Minister, when asked about his Home Secretary’s views, instead pointedly praised Britain as a ‘fantastic multicultural democracy’

Downing Street is said to have signed off Mrs Braverman’s speech before she delivered it.

But Mr Sunak, the first British PM of Indian heritage, this evening declined to endorse the Home Secretary’s comments.

Asked by BBC East Midlands if he agreed with her, the PM said: ‘I think that this is something that is incredible about this country, is that it is a fantastic multicultural democracy.

‘We have done an incredible job of integrating people into society and one of the lovely things about getting the job I have, as the first person from my background to hold this job, that’s a wonderful thing, but it’s also not a big deal in our country.

‘I think that speaks to the progress we’ve made over the years and how far we’ve come and something we should all be collectively incredibly proud of.’

Asked if Mrs Braverman was wrong, Mr Sunak said it is ‘important that everyone subscribes to British values’ but that he believes ‘our country has done an incredibly good job of integrating people from lots of different backgrounds’.

The Home Secretary’s speech was widely viewed as an attempt to boost her chances of becoming the next Conservative leader.

But Mrs Braverman dismissed such suggestions as ‘slightly flippant’ and insisted she was working ‘hand-in-hand’ with Mr Sunak.

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