A cruel Tory minister has come under fire after ordering staff at a centre for child refugees to paint over a Mickey Mouse mural - because it was too "welcoming".
The move by Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick has been branded "evil" by a leading cartoonist, who said a number of artists are keen to repaint the decoration.
The mural, depicting Mickey and Minnie Mouse, was painted over along with images of Winnie the Pooh and Baloo from The Jungle Book, it is understood.
Mr Jenrick is claimed to have made the remark after seeing the loveable characters on the wall at an asylum reception centre in Dover, Kent.
It has sparked widespread condemnation, with the Home Office confirming the murals were painted over on Tuesday.
Following the decision, first reported in the i, cartoonist Guy Venables told Sky News that the removal was "evil" and accused ministers of "nosediving into appealing to their lowest voters".
Mr Venables said: "The victims of this are the sort of victims who really can't stand up for themselves.."
He said he'd been inundated with messages from cartoonists eager to replace the missing murals, stating: "If they paint it over, we'll carry on. It's all you can do about this kind of evil."
And Charlotte Khan, of refugee charity Care4Calais, said: “If Mickey Mouse is too ‘welcoming’ for ministers, the question is what will they replace him with in order to inflict more fear on traumatised asylum seeking children – Maleficent? Ursula?
"Maybe even Cruella herself? The real villains in this sorry tale are Robert Jenrick and the rest of this heartless bunch that call themselves ministers.”
Mr Jenrick is understood to have made the remark earlier this year, saying the cartoons on the wall sent the wrong message.
Staff are claimed to have been upset by the decision.
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, told the i that the pictures had been done to give comfort to lone children who were "absolutely terrified" after arriving in the UK by small boat.
He said: “The Immigration Minister said pictures of cartoons and animals must be removed and that staff should make sure they are painted over, as they give an impression of welcoming, which Mr Jenrick didn’t want to show.
“This demonstrates that the hostile environment has become so entrenched, that today we have lost sight of humanity.”
Labour's Shadow Immigration Minister, Stephen Kinnock, said it was "absurd" that painting over murals will stop the boats.
He said: "This is a sign of a chaotic government in crisis, whose failing approach means all they have left is tough talk and cruel and callous policies."
The Home Office confirmed that the murals were painted over on Tuesday this week.
A Home Office spokesman said: “We do all we can to ensure children are safe, secure and supported as we urgently seek placements with a local authority. All children receive a welfare interview on their arrival at accommodation, which includes questions designed to identify potential indicators of trafficking or safeguarding issues.
“Our priority is to stop the boats and disrupt the people smugglers. The government has gone further by introducing legislation which will ensure that those people arriving in the UK illegally are detained and promptly removed to their country of origin or a safe third country.”
