Suella Braverman hits out at critics of Rwanda deal who spread doctored social media photo of her

Suella Braverman last night attacked ‘snobbish’ critics of the Rwanda asylum deal after a doctored photograph was circulated on social media.

An edited photo of the Home Secretary which showed her laughing at a construction site in the Rwandan capital Kigali was posted by LBC radio presenter James O’Brien.

He tweeted: ‘Exactly 200 years after William Wilberforce founded the Anti-Slavery Society, here’s Suella Braverman at a facility to which she hopes to deport trafficked victims of modern slavery.’

But the full, uncropped image revealed that the Home Secretary was flanked by a man and a woman who were showing her around the Bwiza Riverside Estate and also smiling as they shared a joke with her.

Last night Mrs Braverman said of O’Brien’s post: ‘I invite him to come to Rwanda before he casts aspersions on this beautiful, welcoming country.’

An edited photo of the Home Secretary which showed her laughing at a construction site in the Rwandan capital Kigali was posted by LBC radio presenter James O’Brien

O’Brien’s tweet, posted at 9am yesterday, gathered more than 1.6million views and many negative comments.

More than seven hours later he re-posted the same text but this time with an unedited version of the photo. Mrs Braverman added: ‘I encourage all of my critics to actually visit Rwanda before they throw around incredibly prejudiced and snobbish opinions.’

She singled out the Labour Party and Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

‘I think that the Labour Party reacts in a very knee-jerk and pretty prejudiced way,’ added Mrs Braverman. ‘I invite Yvette Cooper to come to Rwanda and see the high-quality services for the people who will be resettled here.

‘I regret the snobbery and the unjustified negativity that critics throw at our partnership with Rwanda.’

Bwiza Riverside Estate will provide some of the 2,500 homes for migrants sent from Britain and is being part-funded by UK taxpayers.

Mrs Braverman said of O’Brien’s post: ‘I invite him to come to Rwanda before he casts aspersions on this beautiful, welcoming country.’ Pictured: Suella Braverman during her visit to Rwanda