LONDON -- Prime Minister David Cameron is again facing outrage for a comment made about refugees -- this time over referring to people in camps in France as "a bunch of migrants" during Prime Minister's Questions.
Cameron made the comment Wednesday during the weekly question and answer session as he was attacking Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has visited camps in northern France where thousands of refugees are living in poor conditions. Cameron mentioned the visit after Corbyn accused Cameron of not standing up to the government over its tax dealings with Google.
Cameron at #PMQs: Labour leaders "met with a bunch of migrants in Calais, they said they could all come to Britain" https://t.co/u1zVoBRZZY— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 27, 2016
"The shadow chancellor's pointing - the idea that those two right honourable gentlemen would stand up to anyone in this regard is laughable. Look at the record over the last week - they met with the unions and they gave them flying pickets," he said.
"They met with the Argentinians, they gave them the Falkland Islands. They met with a bunch of migrants in Calais, they said they could all come to Britain."
"The only people they never stand up for are the British people and hard-working taxpayers," Cameron said.
Cameron is under pressure to let 3,000 unaccompanied refugee children at the camps come to live in the UK.
It's not the first time Cameron has been in trouble over what he's said about refugees. In July 2015, he said, “You have got a swarm of people coming across the Mediterranean" seeking a better life in Britain. Those comments were widely called "dehumanising."
Labour almost immediately decried today's comments and called for Cameron to apologise.
Cameron very wrong to talk of "a bunch of migrants" in #PMQs. Divisive, not statesmanlike. Raised point of order calling on him to withdraw— Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) January 27, 2016
The PM refers to "a bunch of migrants" in Calais at the Dispatch box just now. Inflammatory and unbecoming of his office. Shameful #PMQs— Chuka Umunna (@ChukaUmunna) January 27, 2016
Soon the party members were joined by more outrage online.
Disgusted at Cameron's 'bunch of migrants' jibe. He's talking about unaccompanied children that charities are trying to support in Calais.— Imad Ahmed (@edu_imad) January 27, 2016
I always call my great-grandparents a 'bunch of migrants' and would love it other people called them that. Especially if Cameron did #classy— Michael Rosen (@MichaelRosenYes) January 27, 2016
David Cameron is really brave to stand up to those 'bunch of migrants.' How dare those refugee children want a safe place to live!— Blake Siefken (@BlakeSiefken) January 27, 2016
As @David_Cameron talks about "a bunch of migrants" we'd remind you refugees are people just like you and I. #pmqs pic.twitter.com/OE5sF1dyz0— Greenpeace UK (@GreenpeaceUK) January 27, 2016
Some said he was trying to distract from the Google tax issue.
Cameron 'bunch of migrants' is to distract from Google & Bedroom Tax - Lynton Crosby 1.1— Red North (@RednorthUK) January 27, 2016
Small-business minister Anna Soubry told the BBC that this notion was "silly and playing cheap politics."
Others pointed out it was Holocaust Memorial Day.
david cameron dehumanises syrian refugees as a "bunch of migrants", despicable language on #HolocaustMemorialDay— Hannah D (@hd__tv) January 27, 2016
Thanks to David Cameron, at some point today "bunch of migrants" will trend above #HolocaustMemorialDay Tories make everything vile. #pmqs— Susan (@marthasydenham) January 27, 2016
Some agreed with Cameron, at least partially.
@kingbill73 they are refugees and migrants. Cameron was wrong, but so too is anyone who thinks they are solely refugees.— Dr Seamus (@DrSeamus111) January 27, 2016
And of course there were some who won't miss an opportunity for a joke.
Cameron should really have covered that by saying "I mean as in I've got a lovely bunch of migrants".— Ivan Kirby (@hellothisisivan) January 27, 2016