Reform MPs have been disgracing themselves in Parliament again
Reform’s Nigel Farage and Lee Anderson have been condemned by other MPs for their comments about small boat crossings.
During yesterday’s debate on the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, Farage claimed that at the time of him speaking, 600 young men had already been processed at Dover.
He went on to say: “Perhaps the odd Iranian terrorist among them — who knows?”.
MPs responded with cries of “Shame on you,” while Jeremy Corbyn challenged him, asking: “How do you know that?”
The arrival figures for yesterday are not yet available. However, the latest data shows that 232 migrants arrived in Dover on 11 May, while 58 arrived on 10 May.
No arrivals were recorded between 5 and 9 May.
Farage is trying to whip up anti-migrant sentiment by capitalising on reports last week that five Iranian men suspected of plotting to target the Israeli embassy in London may have entered the UK via small boats. The men have since been arrested.
Lee Anderson calls for the deportation of a fellow MP?
Lee Anderson made a similarly shameful comment about small boats, this time suggesting that a fellow MP, Jeremy Corbyn, should be deported.
Anderson also claimed over 600 migrants had entered the country yesterday and that “they could get up to all sorts of mischief, commit crimes and maybe even acts of terrorism”.
Anderson asked Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle: “Does she agree with me that these young men crossing the Channel should be immediately detained and deported along with the member for Islington?”.
The MP for Ashfield, was condemned for his comments, with Eagle replying: “I’m quite shocked that the honorable gentleman thinks that that’s an appropriate thing to say in this place.”
Eagle also said: “I actually wonder whether that kind of arbitrary treatment of people who are in this country if we came out of the ECHR as he wants, would become the norm for Reform.”
She added: “The right honourable member for Islington has a complete right to his opinions and to expressing them from whatever side of the house he sits and I personally worked with him and I have a great deal of respect for him.”
On X, Anderson claimed that Corbyn had “had a pop” at Reform MPs yesterday, so he hit back.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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