Explained in plain English

What is 'performative cruelty'?

'Performative cruelty' is a phrase used to describe actions that appear harsh or punitive, often designed more to send a political message or appease a certain audience than to achieve a practical outcome. In the story, some Labour figures used it to criticise the proposal for asylum seekers to pay back hotel bills, suggesting it's more about optics than actual recovery of costs.

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