American ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s has criticised Home Secretary Priti Patel over the handling of the increasing cross-channel migrant crossings.

The frozen dessert company took to Twitter on Tuesday, 12th August, tagging Ms Patel in several posts on the matter urging her to show “humanity”.

It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was looking into new laws to deter migrants from crossing and make it easier to send anyone back when they arrive.

The tweets read: “Hey @PritiPatel, we think the real crisis is our lack of humanity for people fleeing war, climate change and torture.”
It added: “People wouldn’t make dangerous journeys if they had any other choice.”
The account also tweeted: “People cannot be illegal.”

More than 4,000 people have successfully made the dangerous journey across the British Channel this year, with around 597 people between last Thursday and Sunday.

A source from the Home Office quickly responded to the messages, deeming the company as “a brand of overpriced junk food”.

The source said: “Priti is working day and night to bring an end to these small boat crossings, which are facilitated by international criminal gangs and are rightly of serious concern to the British people.

“If that means upsetting the social media team for a brand of overpriced junk food, then so be it.”

Foreign Minister James Cleverly also waded into the row, tweeting: “Can I have a large scoop of statistically inaccurate virtue signalling with my grossly overpriced ice cream please.”

On the same the tweets were made, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was currently “very, very difficult” to legally return people who arrive in the UK from France using small boats.

Ben and Jerry’s was founded in 1978 Vermont, USA before being purchased by Unilever in 2000 for around $326m (£246m).

Last week the ice cream makers announced their paid advertising freeze on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram will last until the end of 2020.

The dessert brand has accused the social media platforms for not taking enough action on digital hate culture and misinformation posts.