GB News migrant row explodes as star torn apart with just four brutal words

A fiery on-air row has erupted on GB News after the first flight carrying a cross-channel small boat migrant has landed in Paris, under the UK-France agreement. The man was removed from the UK on Thursday morning (September 18) on an Air France plane, making him the first migrant to be successfully deported from the UK under the new scheme. It has been a little over a month since the UK and France agreed to a year-long "one in, one out" pilot scheme of exchanges of migrants in order to deter small boat crossings.

But it doesn't come without its hurdles. Later on Thursday, the High Court rejected an attempt to temporarily stop another migrant from being removed to France, paving the way for a flight to take off early on Friday morning (September 19).

The morning news program certainly didn't shy away from the difficult conversation, as hosts Stephen Dixon and Penny Smith welcomed former Conservative MP Claire Pearsall and political editor Nigel Nelson onto the show to discuss the latest developments.

The politician pointed out, "We've had two this week. How many are we taking in at the weekend from France? That number seems to vary depending on what day of the week it is, but we will be getting them in on Saturday, over from France.

"It really is no deterrent whatsoever if you're pretty much looking at a one-in-18 chance of being sent back to France. And you do wonder how many people are going to look at this. The criminal gangs will just change their ways of dealing with it by probably offering a free journey back or something like that.

"It isn't anything to write home about; it isn't even a success. Two people doesn't add up to anywhere near the 35,000. Look, 35,000 have come across the Channel, and you're celebrating two people, one of whom is Indian."

Meanwhile, Nigel argued that the British public "have to give it a chance" before dismissing the new migration scheme. He added: "This is week one. We knew there were going to be legal challenges, and those legal challenges were priced into the government.

"The scheme was agreed two months ago, but this is the first week we actually, physically, tried to remove people. The government knew very well that what would next happen would be legal challenges, so they're sorting those challenges out.

"The idea would be that this would actually ramp up, but the most important thing is that for the first time, we are actually allowing people to effectively apply for asylum from abroad. Up until now, they've had to do it on British soil, which is one of the reasons that it's encouraged people to cross the Channel."

It didn't take long before viewers flocked to X - formerly known as Twitter - to share their frustrations online. One user fumed: "It should be if 1 more comes in, all go out. This is the worst deal ever. Our kids have no chance in the UK with people like Nelson."

Another agreed: "So a thousand arrive in a week, Starmer returns two... I'm not great at maths, but that's not one in, one out, is it?" Meanwhile, a third argued: "Let's face it, we need another government. Worse to come."