Lee Anderson Frustrates GMB Presenters With Bizarre Defence Of Reform’s Migration Plan

Lee Anderson clashed with Good Morning Britain presenters on Wednesday over the French backlash to Reform UK’s plan to tackle the small boats crisis.

Nigel Farage’s party announced they would use the Royal Navy to intercept the migrant vessels as part of “Operation Fortress” if they got into government.

Reform would supposedly then return the asylum seekers on board to where they came from in “the largest military operation in the English Channel since World War Two”.

But the French government said this week the right-wing party’s plan to turn back migrants crossing the English Channel would be a “violation” of their sovereignty, as well as a breach of maritime and international law. 

However, Reform’s chairman Anderson refused to engage with that blunt rejection.

When reminded of Paris’s response to the party’s “Operation Fortress”, the Reform MP told GMB: “Oh it’s illegal to save lives in the English Channel?

“I think we’re not going to agree on this, guys. It’s not been tested yet. It’s not been tried.

“How do you know it won’t work?”

Co-host Charlotte Hawkins said: “It’s not for us to say whether it will work or not. We’re just telling you what the French government are saying and you would not be able to do it without the French government –”

Anderson cut in: “I’m telling you what Reform policy is –”

Hawkins said: “You don’t have the agreement of the French government. It’s not workable.”

“it will work and it will save lives,” the Ashfield MP said.

“Without the agreement of the French government, it won’t work,” Hawkins said, becoming increasingly exasperated. 

He repeated that the policy would save “100%” save lives.

Co-host Richard Madeley said: “I don’t think we can go much further on this… It’s not up to us to criticise your policy, it may be a wonderful policy –”

Anderson cut in: “You are criticising it!”

Madeley laughed in disbelief while Hawkins said they were pointing out a major flaw which stops it from operating.

“That’s criticism! That’s criticism. It’s not a fact. It’s not a fact, it’s not been tried yet,” the Reform chair insisted.

Anderson said it was a “violation of our sovereignty” for migrants to cross the English Channel and then commit “awful crimes” in the UK.

“Things need to be done, but if the French won’t agree to it, then unfortunately it’s not a workable policy,” Hawkins hit back.

Reform’s plans to address the English Channel crossings have also been described as a “crock of shit” by former Royal Navy officer John Foreman.

Former Navy commander Tom Sharpe had a similar view, telling the BBC: “A billion pound warship that’s configured for anti-air warfare or anti-submarine warfare, which are both threats to the UK, is not best used ferrying people around.

“You’re better off using an actual ferry.”

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