A POWERFUL open letter from a Holocaust survivor to Home Secretary Suella Braverman over her hostility to refugees is gathering tens of thousands of signatures.

Joan Salter, 83, who escaped from Nazi-held Belgium in 1943 as a child, challenged Ms Braverman at a meeting, saying that her language towards refugees was reminiscent of words used by the Nazis against Jews before the Holocaust.

But Ms Braverman refused to apologise for describing refugees as an “invasion” and “swarms.”

An online video of the confrontation went viral, with thousands expressing support.

Now Ms Salter has sent Ms Braverman another message: “Stop scapegoating refugees and start helping them.” And she warned: “If the government thinks I’ll quieten down, they can think again” after attempts were made to remove the video.

She launched her open letter to the Home Secretary on the website of the Freedom From Torture organisation.

In the letter she accuses Ms Braverman of dehumanising refugees in the same way Jews were dehumanised by the Nazis.

She wrote: “As a Holocaust survivor, I ask you to stop dehumanising and scapegoating human beings when you speak. Words have consequences and as Home Secretary, yours have grave ones.

“Start providing safe routes for refugees and commit to never punish refugees who take dangerous routes. 

“These people are human beings like me and you, and for too long this dehumanising language has been used to distract from the real solutions to their suffering.”

More than 18,000 people had signed the letter by noon today.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said it is important to listen to Ms Salter, appearing to distance himself from the Home Secretary's comments.

He said: “I think in politics we all have to choose our language carefully and think of the historical language that has been used in the past when we frame arguments.”