Joe Lycett trolls Suella Braverman over anti-LGBTQ+ refugee comments with spoof letter
Joe Lycett posted the spoof letter in protest of Suella Braverman’s comments about LGBTQ+ refugees. (Credit: Getty)
Comedian Joe Lycett has trolled Suella Braverman in a spoof letter regarding her widely condemned comments about LGBTQ+ asylum seekers.
The home secretary faced a torrent of backlash after she gave a speech to the American Enterprise Institute in which she attacked queer migrants seeking asylum in the UK.
“Where individuals are being persecuted, it is right that we offer sanctuary. But we will not be able to sustain an asylum system if, in effect, simply being gay or a woman, and fearful of discrimination in your country of origin, is sufficient to qualify for protection,” she said in the speech.
She later claimed people were lying to be LGBTQ+ to enter the UK.
Sebastian Rocca, the founder and chief executive of LGBTQ+ asylum charity Micro Rainbow, told PinkNews Braverman’s comments “are deeply disturbing”.
Despite the severity of subject, in his own chaotic way, Lycett has managed to turn the outrage surrounding Braverman’s condemned comments into a hilarious spoof letter.
On Wednesday (4 October), Lycett, posted the masterpiece on X, formerly known as Twitter, and tagged Braverman in the caption.
He begins by writing that he’s interested to read about her claim that “asylum seekers are attempting to abuse the immigration system by pretending to be gays (sometimes known as batty boys)”.
Lycett then jokes that gay comedian Alan Carr, who is married to Paul Drayton, is in fact married to “a foul woman called Sandra”, before jesting that gay British TV presenter, Rylan Clark, takes part in marathons.
The letter gets weirder, and funnier, as he goes on to say he’s “devised a plan that will eradicate all those fake sausage-noshers” to reduce successful asylum applicants: “All immigrants will be excluded from the United Kingdom UNLESS they can prove that they are gay (to me).”
Under a company called “Homo Hunters” the comedian jested that the problem will be solved, as he’s “been investigating fake gay for years”.
He adds: “A Moss Bros suit dose’t get past me. Nor does an erect c**k!”
Lycett then sets out his plan to catch the fakes via a room featuring three tables on which will be a Lady Gaga CD, an M&S fleece and a “naked Twink called Carlos (or Steve)”.
He concludes that if applicants try to have sex with any of the objects they will be “determined gay and warmly welcomed into the country”.
“Just because you or your family have benefited from a system doesn’t mean that system should not be smashed to bits,” he jibes, while joking that he pretended to be gay to progress in show business.
The letter has left Lycett’s followers in floods of tears, with one writing under the post that they can’t read past the first paragraph from crying.
Lycett previously made headlines when standing up for queer people during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, as he criticised David Beckham’s involvement with the country due to its appalling record on LGBTQ+ rights.
The PR stunt saw Lycett threaten to shred £10,000 unless Beckham backed out of his £150 million World Cup ambassador deal, forcing the former footballer to make a statement about his controversial collaboration.
Since, he has gone on to be the host of his own queer Friday night comedy series Late Night Lycett, which aired for the first time on 31 March and can be watched on Channel 4.
