GB News host Andrew Pierce has shut down refugee charity chief Dr. Krish Kandiah after suggesting that illegal migrants and asylum seekers housed in hotels should be given "social housing".
It comes as more than 100 refugee charities have urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to stop housing asylum seekers in hotels, using the UK aid budget.
The 107 organisations, including Refugee Council, Refugee Action, Save the Children UK and the International Rescue Committee UK, warn that this practice diverts crucial funds from humanitarian work worldwide.
Imran Hussain from the Refugee Council said: "It is vitally important overseas aid is used as it was always supposed to be used - to support people in need around the world. This is fundamental for making the world a safer, more secure place."
Andrew Pierce clashed with Dr. Krish Kandiah on migrant accommodation
GB News
He added: "Poor policy decisions and mismanagement of the asylum system have led to costs spiralling. The most effective way to take costs out of the system is by working quickly and fairly to determine who is a refugee and who has no right to stay here. Get that right, and the accommodation costs will fall."
Discussing the calls on GB News, Founder of the Sanctuary Foundation Dr. Krish Kandiah OBE claimed migrants and asylum seekers should "not be housed in hotels" as it is "too costly for the economy".
Kandiah explained: "It's a really good point that no one thinks that refugees and asylum seekers should be housed in hotels. It's not good for our economy, as you say. £3billion a year, millions of pounds every day. But it's actually not good for refugees or asylum seekers to live in temporary accommodation either.
"Their children don't know how long they'll be going to the local school, or whether they'll suddenly be moved somewhere else. And dignity of your own front door is quite an important way to recover from the trauma of being trafficked, or exploited or smuggled or just escaping a war zone."
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More than 100 refugee charities have urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to stop housing asylum seekers in hotels using the UK aid budget
PACalling for migrants and asylum seekers to be offered social housing "alongside Britons", Kandiah argued: "The hotels are a bad idea, and many of the charities have been asking for a long time for proper investment in social housing - both for local people in our communities, but also for newcomers like asylum seekers or refugees from places like Ukraine."
Infuriated by Kandiah's claim, Britain's Newsroom host Andrew Pierce interjected, fuming: "Can I just step in there? I know some people listening were thinking, hang on, hang on.
"There's a major housing shortage here already, and here we've got organisations saying that some of the new social housing that should be built, should be for asylum seekers who've just crossed the channel illegally."
Andrew pressed Kandiah: "How does that work? They've not paid into the system, they don't work. So why are you suggesting they get a property?"
Dr. Krish Kandiah told GB News that housing migrants in hotels is a 'bad idea'
GB News
Kandiah responded: "We've been working with Ukrainian refugees - let's think of them as a group that most people in Britain think was right to support. Because they did nothing, they were bombed by the Russians just for living next door to a hostile dictatorship. And many of us hosted Ukrainians in our homes - many of your viewers were incredibly generous in that way.
"But that can't continue on forever, so people need to be able to live with their own front door, and that that would be true for Ukrainian refugees."
He added: "If someone does have a valid asylum claim in the UK, then we give them refugee status and in order to help them get back on their feet so they can start earning and living here.
"Temporary accommodation is good for a short amount of time, but we want people to have some kind of social housing."
