How RNLI criticism by Reform UK has backfired (massively)
RNLI is not a political organisation. Yet when Border Force is not available, it’s often called out by the Coastguard to rescue refugees in the English Channel, and sometimes has saved people from drowning, including children. It says it does ‘not pick who it saves’, volunteer jobs are simply to save lives.
Some Reform UK politicians have criticised RNLI (criticised the RNLI – our national heroes!) for rescuing migrants, claiming the charity was acting as a ‘taxi service’ for illegal boat migrants in the channel. The RNLI replied that crossings are do to with politics, and their volunteers are not going to leave someone to drown, just to please certain groups in society.
The public criticism massively backfired, triggering a massive wave of public support. And saw donations surge by up to 3000%. It also ended up with a crowdfunding campaign to buy a new emergency rescue hovercraft, with plans to name it The Flying Farage!
The organiser writes that all donations are ringfenced, so it’s up to RNLI what to do with the money raised. But ‘there’s a good chance that donations will help the very people that Farage and others love screaming at in the channel’.
Isabelle Oakshott recently called for the RNLI hierachy to change policy to not rescue illegal migrants. Political pundit Maximilian Robespierre suggests that she and others could set up their own charity to only rescue British people. Let’s see how that goes.
Rupert Lowe reports ‘migrants’ (charity rowers)
In his constituency of Great Yarmouth, Restore UK MP Rupert Lowe recently posted on social media that he had ‘alerted authorities’ of a boat off the Norfolk coast. Saying the dinghy was heading for the shore and he would use all tools to ensure if illegal immigrants, they would be deported.
It turns out it was a rowing boat with four crew attempting a charity row from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise funds. One of the crew (a former Royal Marine) was asked if they had seen a dinghy – then realised it was them the authorities were looking for.
Mr Lowe later gave a donation but refused to apologise. Just like he refused to apologise for telling a US talk show host that Dunblane had just been ‘one murder’ (the gunman shot dead 16 young children and their schoolteacher).
