Thomas QuinnA petition calling on the Government to “swap” Katie Hopkins for 50,000 refugees from Syria is approaching the 50,000 signatures required. I should tell you though the 50,000 signatures does not mean that we get rid of Katie Hopkins, we should be so lucky, it just means that the government has to respond to the petition.
The wildly popular document was launched two days ago on Change.org but has rapidly picked up signatures over the past few hours.
Hopkins, the controversial television personality, has repeatedly come under fire for comments in a column which ran in the Sun under the headline, “Rescue boats? I’d use gunships to stop migrants.”
In the article, Hopkins in her ordinary inflammatory style wrote, “No, I don’t care. Show me pictures of coffins, show me bodies floating in water, play violins and show me skinny people looking sad. I still don’t care.”
The words were sent out in to the world several months ago but backlash against the writing of these statements have begun to resurface again following the widespread publication of extremely distressing photos of a tiny dead boy washed up on a Turkish beach.
In an update after the page reached 7,000 signatures over the weekend, Ben Fletcher, who started the petition, which will be linked at the end of the article, insisted the change.org document was “never meant in bad taste” and that it had a serious point.
He also used his ever growing soapbox to urge people to support charities working to save the lives of people caught up in the crisis.
He said, “I was honestly not expecting this to get much more than 100 or so signatures. I am glad that people are sharing this and it is getting more people talking about the need to do more for refugees; that was always the aim, it was never meant in bad taste.”
Fletcher would go on to say, “I am also glad that it is being used as an outlet to give your true feeling about Hopkins, some of the reasons for signing are truly brilliant. There is however a serious point behind this petition and that is that there are thousands and thousands of people who need our help, I am going to update this with the information of a few charities that are working to help refugees and save lives, if you can help and donate then please do so.”
In the original description, Mr Fletcher wrote, “It has become fairly clear that the UK needs to do more to help and save the lives of innocent refugees making their way to Europe in order to flee the situation in their home countries, it is also clear that more and more people are wanting the UK government to take action to give this help.
“The UK however has currently not got the space for refugees, no this is not because we are full it is because Katie Hopkins massive head takes it all up, so I propose we swap Hopkins and send her to Syria, a country where I am sure she would be welcome, and instead take in 50,000 refugees.”
Although initially a joke this petition has shown several things about the British people. Firstly, that they wish that their government, despite the rhetoric being fed to the public, would do more to help those who are currently most in need of our help. And secondly that Katie Hopkins might actually be one of the most hated people in Britain. Her rent-a-gob tactic which has made her famous is now turning to infamy when people see the vile things she has to say on any number of subjects. This petition is only a bit of a laugh but it does demonstrate that the British people want more done to help those in need. One hundred years ago children were sent from their homes to the countryside to keep them safe, have we forgotten how to treat those in need?
https://www.change.org/p/uk-government-swap-katie-hopkins-for-50-000-refugees