Joe Lycett’s political trolling results in an early Christmas present for Crisis UK
Brummie comedian Joe Lycett is notorious for his playful political trolling, but his latest attack resulted in more than £66,000 for Crisis UK, and a ton of unexpected PR.
Let’s dive in.
On 4 November, Lycett launched a spontaneous fundraising campaign, after the Financial Times reported that the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman wanted to restrict the use of tents by people sleeping rough, and to fine charities that supplied them.
She said: “We will always support those who are genuinely homeless. But we cannot allow our streets to be taken over by rows of tents occupied by people, many of them from abroad, living on the streets as a lifestyle choice.”
In response to her comments, Lycett issued an epic takedown on Instagram.
He said, “my old friend Suella Braverman has described rough sleeping as a ‘lifestyle choice’. I always thought lifestyle choices were things such as cargo pants, fishing, and decorating your bathroom with a bowl of potpourri.
Let’s see if this image I found on Google described as ‘Wooden Botanical Fragrant Potpourri Bowl With Lemon’ can raise £50,000 for homelessness charity @crisis_uk”
Little did Lycett know how strongly the public felt.
The 35-year-old TV personality hit his target in just two days. And he celebrated in his inimitable way – sending the ‘cruel’ Home Secretary an open letter which was dripping in sarcasm.
‘I woke up this morning to see that a picture of a bowl of potpourri I posted just over two days ago has raised £50,000 for Crisis. A huge thank you to everyone who donated for their generosity. Of course, my main thanks must go to Suella: without your lifestyle choice, of being callous and cruel towards the most vulnerable people in society, none of this would’ve happened.”
He added: “There’s another choice coming to all of us soon. It’s known as an election. Best of luck with it babe x.”
Charity leaders’ concerns
Crisis is one of 15 homelessness charities calling for an “urgent reversal” of the Home Secretary’s plans to ban tents on streets.
In an open letter, the charities, which included the National Housing Federation, the Chartered Institute of Housing and Centrepoint said, “sleeping on the street is not a lifestyle choice. Laying blame with people forced to sleep rough will only push people further away from help into poverty, putting them at risk of exploitation. At the extreme end we will see an increase in deaths and fatalities which are totally preventable.”
The Home Secretary put the policy forward for inclusion in the government’s legislative programme that was due to announced in the King’s speech.
However, her plans didn’t make the cut. A shrew political move in light of the upcoming election? Surely not.
Final Word
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