Susanna Reid rushed to Rylan Clark‘s defence today – as he continued to face a left-wing anger for airing common sense views on illegal immigration.
The TV personality’s suggestion last week that putting migrants who had crossed the Channel illegally in four-star hotels was ‘insane’ has prompted a torrent of criticism from woke commentators.
This continued today, with the 36-year-old accused by Good Morning Britain panelist by Kevin Maguire – without evidence – of spreading ‘terrible myths’ about immigration.
But Reid quickly intervened to note that Clark had been at pains to state his support for immigrants who come to Britain legally, with his criticism solely reserved for those arriving on illegal routes.
‘Hang on. He pointed out that this country is built on immigration, and he was grateful to all of the migrants who have come to the NHS for helping support his mum,’ she told the Daily Mirror journalist.
The row comes as Labour sought to respond to rising public anger by unveiling an asylum ‘crackdown’ that will temporarily bar refugees from bringing family members to the UK.
Yet the announcement was overshadowed by the Home Secretary admitting last night that no Channel migrants have been returned to France yet under its much-vaunted ‘one in, one out’ deal.
The Government claimed in July that a handful of migrants would be sent back to France within weeks – but it’s now September and not a single person has been sent back.
Susanna Reid rushed to Rylan Clark’s defence on today’s instalment of Good Morning Britain after Kevin Maguire criticised his ‘terrible’ comments about illegal immigration
Clark hit out at undocumented migrants in Britain during ITV’s This Morning last week
Reid continued: ‘I have to say, Kevin, it is the duty of government, as the government itself would acknowledge, that we control borders and we do not just welcome everybody if we don’t know who they are.
‘And I think Rylan’s message struck a chord with a lot of people… He did not want it to be an anti-migration message.’
Maguire went on to double down on his claim Clark was spreading falsehoods, without explaining what these were.
‘He also regurgitated a load of myths and lies – let’s not ignore that,’ the journalist said.
‘Myths and lies have gone mainstream, and we’ve got to challenge that, we’ve got to push back on that.’
Reid replied: ‘Rylan also pointed out that we also have a homelessness problem, the government itself acknowledges that there’s not enough housing.
‘So, I just think that to say that what Rylan said was outrageous, regurgitating propaganda.’
One viewer called for the GMB presenter to be given a ‘knighthood’ for her intervention.
Yvette Cooper has sought to respond to public anger about Britain’s failing immigration system by announcing an asylum ‘crackdown’
Clarke praised migrant doctors and nurses for saving his mother Linda’s life in hospital, saying they were paying taxes and ‘helping this country thrive’.
But he then claimed there was ‘something wrong’ about those crossing the English Channel in small boats being ‘welcomed’ and given medical help, a hotel and food.
The London-born presenter added: ‘How come if I turn up at Heathrow Airport as a British citizen and I’ve left my passport in Spain, I’ve got to stand at that airport and won’t be let in.
‘But if I arrive on a boat from Calais, I get taken to a four-star hotel?’
Clark also spoke about the ‘amount of people that are in this country that we have no idea who they are, what they’ve done, what they’re capable of’.
He contrasted the situation with the amount of homeless people and veterans living on the UK’s streets, adding: ‘Something major needs to be done about this.’
Although many agreed with his viewpoint as clips from the show were widely shared, Clark faced a backlash from hard-left critics – prompting him to post a defensive statement on social media saying he could be ‘pro-immigration and against illegal routes’.
The broadcaster was hosting Wednesday’s This Morning with Josie Gibson as they discussed Reform leader Nigel Farage announcing plans the day before for mass deportations.
Crowds of anti-migrant demonstrators holding English flags and Union Jacks gather outside the Crowne Plaza hotel in West Drayton
Protestors outside the Crowne Hotel adorned in England flags as a police van patrols the scene
Clark said: ‘Taking politics out of this, let’s just look at the country. This country is built on immigration, legal immigration.
‘A lot of the nurses, the doctors that have saved my mum’s life have come over here from other countries, are living a great life, they’re paying into this tax system, they’re helping this country thrive.
‘I find it absolutely insane that all these people, 1) are risking their lives coming across the Channel like they are, but 2) when they get here, it does seem, and I think this is why a lot of Labour voters as well are now sitting there going there’s something wrong here, it seems, ‘Welcome, come on in’.
‘This is the narrative we’re being fed. Here’s the hotel, here’s the phones, here’s the iPad, here’s the NHS in reception of your hotel. Here’s three meals a day, here’s a games room in the hotel. Have a lovely time and welcome.
‘And then there’s people that have lived here all their lives that are struggling, or homeless. Let’s not even discuss our homeless.
‘There are people living on the streets, veterans, all of this.’
Speaking to guests Camilla Tominey and Tim Campbell who were on the show to discuss the news headlines, he continued.
He said: ‘This isn’t me getting on my soapbox, because let me be honest, everyone’s going to have an opinion about this and you’re going to upset someone, some which way. I believe that something major needs to be done about this.
‘The money that it’s costing us, the amount of people that are in this country that we have no idea who they are, what they’ve done, what they’re capable of – and clearly we see a lot of it in the press at the moment, what some are doing.
‘How come if I turn up at Heathrow Airport as a British citizen and I’ve left my passport in Spain, I’ve got to stand at that airport and won’t be let in. But if I arrive on a boat from Calais, I get taken to a four-star hotel?’
Migrants in lifejackets wave to a dinghy leaving Gravelines in northern France last month
Rylan later wrote on X: ‘You can be pro immigration and against illegal routes. You can support trans people and have the utmost respect for women.
‘You can be heterosexual and still support gay rights. The list continues. Stop with this putting everyone in a box exercise and maybe have conversations instead of shouting on Twitter.’
On Friday, Clark confirmed that it was his ‘last day’ on This Morning amid backlash to his comments about immigration earlier in the week.
The host and Josie had been standing in as hosts to cover for Cat Deeley and Ben Shepherd as they take their summer holidays.
He said on Friday’s episode: ‘Last day today!’, which prompted Jodie to declare: ‘What a week!’
Labour’s latest asylum crackdown has been criticised by the Conservatives as insufficient.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: ‘Under Labour, a small boat to the UK is a one-way ticket to one of Keir Starmer’s cushy hotels – paid for by hard-pressed taxpayers.
‘Labour has flung open the doors to the UK and this year they have let in the highest number of illegal immigrants across the Channel ever. This weak Government has lost control of our borders.
‘They are too weak to do what’s needed to fix this – which is to make sure that every single illegal immigrant is removed immediately upon arrival. Then, no one would bother crossing in the first place.’
The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, has been a focus for anti-migration protests
The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, has been a focus for anti-migration protests
The ‘one in, one out deal’ was announced by the Prime Minister and President Emmanuel Macron on July 10 at the end of the Anglo-French summit.
Sir Keir said at the time that the ‘ground-breaking’ pilot project – under which some migrants arriving in small boats would be detained and returned to France while the same number of genuine asylum-seekers would be allowed to come to the UK – would begin ‘in the coming weeks’.
The Home Secretary also told MPs on July 14 that the expectation was that ‘that pilot will be operationalised in the coming weeks’.
It was announced on August 4 that the treaty had been ratified, and then the Home Office revealed that ‘detentions began for those who arrived in the UK on a small boat’ on August 6, stating: ‘The UK will make referrals to France within three days, and the French authorities will be expected to respond within 14 days.’
But almost four weeks on, the cases are still being processed, although sources insisted that those detained are still being held. Ms Cooper told the Commons yesterday: ‘In August I signed the new treaty with France allowing us for the first time to directly return those who arrive on small boats.
‘The first detentions took place the next day – of people immediately on arrival at Dover. And we expect the first returns to begin later this month.
‘Applications have also been opened for the reciprocal legal route, with the first cases under consideration, subject to strict security checks.’
