Audience boos as scathing letter from Joe Lycett to Suella Braverman read out at charity event

A letter written by Birmingham comedian Joe Lycett to the former Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been read out at the Royal Albert Hall.

Stephen Fry gave a rendition, on behalf of Lycett, at the 10th anniversary of Letters Live – an event held in association with Choose Love, a charity that helps refugees and displaced people.

The event is a "celebration of literary correspondence" where significant letters are read out by an array of famous performers.

Ms Braverman's name being mentioned on Thursday night attracted shouts of boos from some in the audience.

Before being ousted as home secretary, the Conservative MP attracted criticism over her comments about rough sleeping being a "lifestyle choice," people from the LGBT+ community seeking asylum in the UK and the Metropolitan Police’s managing of pro-Palestine protests.

She was sacked from her frontbench role by Rishi Sunak after defying Number 10 by writing an article criticising the Metropolitan Police over the way it allowed pro-Palestine protests to take place on Armistice Day.

Ms Braverman was asked to leave government on Monday morning following a weekend of violence and racism in London involving far-right and pro-Palestinian protesters.

Her rhetoric was blamed for causing the chaos.

The letter from Lycett, who identifies as pansexual, was previously revealed by the comedian in October.

Fry read it out saying: "Dear Home Secretary, I am contacting you on an urgent matter as I was very interested to read your claim that asylum seekers are attempting to abuse the immigration system by pretending to be gay [...] I too am disgusted by men pretending to be gay and think we should weed out this scourge from our society."

He added a "radical plan" has been devised that would involve Lycett monitoring applications through setting up a company to help the Government with asylum claims.

His letter continued: "Just because you or your family have benefited from a system doesn’t mean that system should not be smashed to bits.

"For example I am vehemently against people pretending to be gay simply to achieve a better life, despite that being exactly what I did to progress in showbusiness."

Following Fry’s rendition, there were cheers and claps from the audience.

Ahead of the event, Choose Love’s chief executive Josie Naughton said: "We don’t believe in deporting people to Rwanda" - and the reference to the Government’s immigration policy attracted applause.

Earlier this month, Lycett referenced Ms Braverman’s remarks as part of a campaign to raise £50,000, which he successfully reached, for homelessness charity Crisis UK.

He described the former home secretary as "callous and cruel towards the most vulnerable people in society."

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