Suella Braverman says Andrew Boff should be allowed back into Conservative Party conference after interrupting her speech
Suella Braverman said a senior Conservative who was ejected from the Tory Party conference for interrupting her speech should be "forgiven and let back into conference".
The home secretary posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, after footage showed Andrew Boff - who is the Conservative chair of the London Assembly - being forcibly removed from the conference centre in Manchester.
Ms Braverman posted: "Andrew Boff's heckles were silly but I think he should be forgiven and let back into conference."
Mr Boff was escorted out of the conference hall during the home secretary's speech, in which she criticised "gender ideology" and "the privileged woke minority".
During the speech, Mr Boff could be heard saying that Ms Braverman was "talking rubbish" about gender ideology and called her speech a "homophobic rant".
Speaking to reporters as he was led from the conference centre, Mr Boff said: "It is making our Conservative Party look transphobic and homophobic.
"Our party has a proud record of standing up for LGBT+ rights and she is destroying it."
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He said he had been a "proud member" of the party for over 50 years.
He added: "This home secretary was basically vilifying gay people and trans people by this attack on LGBT ideology, or gender ideology. It is fictitious, it is ridiculous.
"It is a signal to people who don't like people who are LGBT+ people."
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Ms Braverman has also been criticised for her language during her speech to the party conference, in which she compared immigration to a "hurricane".
"One of the most powerful forces reshaping our world is unprecedented mass migration," she said.
"The wind of change that carried my own parents across the globe in the 20th century was a mere gust compared to the hurricane that is coming."
Last week, Ms Braverman came under fire for a recent speech in which she argued that being gay or being a woman was not a sufficient reason to claim asylum.
The home secretary questioned whether courts have redefined asylum to be granted for people suffering "discrimination" instead of "persecution" - especially in the context of someone who is gay or a woman.
"Where individuals are being persecuted, it is right that we offer sanctuary?" she said.
"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."
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Her comments drew widespread criticism, including from Sir Elton John and the United Nations.
In a statement released through the Elton John Aids Foundation, the singer and his husband David Furnish said: "We are very concerned about the UK home secretary's comments stating how discrimination for being gay or a woman should not be reason enough to qualify for protection under international refugee laws.
"Nearly a third of all nations class LGBTQ+ people as criminals, and homosexuality is still punishable by death in 11 countries.
"Dismissing the very real danger LGBTQ+ communities face risks further legitimising hate and violence against them.
"Leaders need to provide more compassion, support and acceptance for those seeking a safer future."
