Suella Braverman Faced Heckles At The Political Cartoon Awards

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Posted in: Comics, Current News | Tagged: political cartoons, Suella Braverman

Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman MP was repeatedly heckled, presenting the The Ellwood Atfield Political Cartoon Awards 2023.

Article Summary

Former UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman MP faced heckles presenting the Political Cartoon Awards.

Her speech addressed issues of free speech and the right to cause offence.

Braverman opposes the Telegraph and Spectator’s takeover by Abu Dhabi buyers.

Steve Bell and Zoom Rockman both received awards, from very different directions.

The Ellwood Atfield Political Cartoon Awards 2023 were held at King’s House in Smith’s Square in London tonight, after a last-minute change from Millbank Tower thanks to malfunctioning lifts. The event, run by the Professional Cartoonists Organisation and funded by Ellwood Atfield, saw the twice-recent former Home Secretary Suella Braverman MP present the awards as well as Kulveer Ranger, Baron Ranger of Northwood, recently made a peer.

Braverman is a British politician and barrister who served as Home Secretary from 6th September 2022 to 19th October 2022 under Prime Minister Liz Truss and again from 25th October 2022 to 13th November 2023 under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak until he fired her for an article attacking her own police force. Known for hard rhetoric against immigrants, asylum seekers, Palestine protestors and the homeless, this was going to be a tricky evening.

The evening opened with nods to both Zoom Rockman and Steve Bell, who have quit or been fired over their cartoonist convictions, both reported by Bleeding Cool at the time, and both involving charges of anti-semitism from differing directions. Both won awards that night; both talked about what they had been through.

The Lord Ranger talked about the importance of political cartoons and wondered why no one had done any of him. I promised I would rectify that by next year. He also took a divergence, talking down recent Marvel movies, which would have been worthy of his former mayoral boss, Boris Johnson.

But it was Suella who took the star of the stage, talking about all the different ways she had been portrayed by cartoonists in the ugliest of fashions, but welcoming it as a vital part of the free press. And using the occasion to talk about the Daily Telegraph and The Spectator potentially being bought by Abu Dhabi businessmen. She received heckles throughout, including Guardian cartoonist Rebecca Hendin who Suella initially invited to to the stage but was persuaded not to bybthe organisers.

She talked about being portrayed as a “vampire bat, a cranky crayfish, a Halloween ghoul, a zombie, a devil, Morticia Addams, a murderous Chiron, Spitting Image had me as the girl from The Exorcist. You also had me as an angry Statue of Liberty, a Superbraverman, and Barbie… you make politicians look much more interesting than we really are to be honest and you’re a pillar of our Free Press and I hope that you continue unhindered by political interference.” To which she got the heckle “can we have that in writing?” But she continued, “whether politicians are offended is neither here or there and you can count on me to always fight for your right to offend. Freedom of press is back in the forefront of our minds once more regarding the Telegraph newspaper and The Spectator magazine and I want to be clear I oppose their takeover by redbird. The telegraph is one of the bedrocks of our Free Press and The Spectator is an irrepressible voice for challenging established orthodoxies. To my mind, there is no doubt that this takeover will hinder the accurate presentation of news and the free expression of opinion, and the independence of the paper will undeniably be compromised if its control is seeded to the hands of a foreign state that freedom is essential now more than ever in a healthy democracy and I hope that that takeover does not go ahead. To finish, thank you for uglifying us, thank you for taking the piss out of me, long may you continue doing your hard work.”

And the awards then took place… relatively smoothly, aside from one early kerfuffle. I took a bunch of videos from the presentation, at a different angle to any official video, which means that you can see Suella Braverman’s reaction to… everything. We began with Tim Benson of the Political Cartoon Gallery opening tghe awards.

With the Political Cartoonist Organisation also having their say, as well as talking about the refugee colouring book, that Bleeding Cool has featured previously. and yes, you get to see Suella’s reaction.

Kulveer Ranger, Baron Ranger of Northwood, also was here to presents the first awards, but also wanted to talk about not being drawn and Marvel movies.

Then things didn’t quite go right when presenting the awards… and we got a spoiler.

Zoom Rockman wins Pocket Cartoon Of The Year for his work in Private Eye, and talks about quitting Private Eye directly after they published it.

Tony Husband Wins Pocket Cartoonist Of The Year, accepted posthumously.

Gag Cartoon of the Year awarded to James Miller of Private Eye.

Suella Braverman’s speech on free speech, including heckles and an attempt to run the stage.

Steve Bell accepts the Second Prize Political Cartoonist Of The Year from Suella Braverman for his work for the Guardian.. and then talks about being fired from the Guardian for causing offence. Is this the first time Steve and Suella Braverman have been on the same side?