The Labour Government is “putting migrants first”, Matt Goodwin has furiously argued during a feisty GB News debate.
Speaking on the People’s Channel, the political commentator questioned how Sir Keir Starmer can effectively deal with the country’s troubles without an effective border policy.
But locking horns with him was former Labour adviser Matthew Laza, who said Labour has already committed to a drastic reduction in mass migration.
“Labour put newcomers, who often break our laws, ahead of the British people”, said Goodwin.
Matt Goodwin clashed with Matthew Laza
GB NEWS / PA
“If Labour were serious about this problem, they wouldn’t be granting asylum to 67 per cent of migrants coming into this country, often illegally.
“Even worse, they wouldn’t be allowing illegal migrants to have free healthcare in their hotels with cash cards, phones and places in local schools.
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“Before we talk about the housing crisis, which Labour has mysteriously gone quiet about, how is Labour going to solve the NHS crisis, housing crisis and public services in disarray while also running illegal migration at 150,000, legal migration at nearly 800,000 a year, let’s just get real.
“I would argue Labour are doing what Labour always do - they’re putting newcomers and migrants ahead of the British people.”
Laza hit back to say the total net migration number was “way higher” in the past two years under Tory stewardship than it was under Tony Blair or Gordon Brown.
He continued: “Labour wants to get net migration down and get British workers into British jobs.
Labour's plans were discussed on GB News
GB NEWS
“You’re absolutely right that we have to get net migration down.”
Keir Starmer last week launched an astonishing attack on the previous administration after the release of stark immigration statistics.
The Prime Minister's remarks came as new figures revealed net migration to the UK reached a record 906,000 in 2023.
Speaking at a press conference, Starmer said: "Time and again the Conservative Party promised they would get the numbers down. Time and again they failed."
Keir Starmer hit out at the previous Tory government GB NEWSHe claimed the situation was "a different order of failure" that happened "by design not accident," arguing that policies were "reformed deliberately to liberalise immigration."
The Labour leader insisted that Brexit was used "to turn Britain into a one nation experiment in open borders."
Labour has unveiled a new security agreement with Iraq aimed at tackling people smuggling gangs before they reach British shores.
The Prime Minister announced plans to reform the points-based immigration system and publish a white paper outlining measures to reduce migration.
"Where we find clear evidence of sectors that are overreliant on immigration, we will reform the points-based system," the PM stated.
He promised stricter enforcement of visa routes, warning that employers who break rules would be banned from hiring overseas labour.
The Labour leader also pledged to address what he called "the utter mess we inherited in the Home Office."
