Chris Philp issues direct message to GB News viewers with small boats warning about Nigel Farage

Chris Philp has issued a direct message to GB News viewers with a warning about Reform UK’s plan to stop the small boats.

The Shadow Home Secretary, who doubled down on Kemi Badenoch’s comments about ending all Channel crossings, accused Nigel Farage of failing to include key details in his own migrant crisis proposal.

Speaking to The People’s Channel shortly after his keynote conference speech, Mr Philp said: “Reform only have cheap slogans and gimmicks that fall apart under scrutiny.

“They have not done the work to develop detailed plans that will actually work in practice.

“The Conservative Party, under new leadership, recognises, the scale of the challenge, the mistakes of the past and have done the hard work on how to fix them.”

Mr Philp pointed to his Borders plan as a core element of his proposed crackdown, which includes deporting all illegal immigrants within a week of arrival and leaving the European Convention on Human Rights.

“If illegal immigrants know they will be removed, they will stop coming,” he added.

Setting out the Conservative Party’s plan, Mr Philp told GB News: “We have a full plan to dismantle the whole legal architecture around immigration so we can deport all illegal immigrants within a week of arrival - no asylum claim, no human rights claim, no legal aid, no court hearing.

“We set out how we would develop our Removals Force, which would see 150,000 people deported each year under a Conservative Government.

“We now have a serious plan to stop the small boats crisis and put the British people first.

“No more taxpayer money wasted on asylum accommodation, freebies for illegal immigrants or legal aid for those with no right to be here.

“Under this Labour Government, over 83,000 migrants have crossed the Channel and Andy Burnham wants to distribute them into locations across our country instead of deporting them – this madness has got to stop.”

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

• Tories reveal plot to block Nigel Farage from No10 in tactical vote push for anti-Reform voters
• Kemi Badenoch promises to end small boats crisis despite 127,896 crossings under Tories watch
• Kemi Badenoch won't accept return of Reform defectors as Tories set sights on Nigel Farage's voters

Despite Mr Philp’s warning, 127,896 small boat migrants arrived on British shores while the Tories were in power between January 2018 and July 2024.

Around 65,800 crossed while Boris Johnson was Prime Minister, with 50,637 making the 21-mile journey under Rishi Sunak.

Theresa May’s total hit just 1,051 in her 36 months in power, compared to Liz Truss’s 10,397 figure in 49 days.

However, small boats have continued to cross the Channel since Labour came to power in July 2024.

Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to smash the gangs failed to stop 77,183 arriving on British shores.

Meanwhile, an additional 7,400 have crossed under Andy Burnham’s watch.

Reform UK has pledged to deploy the Royal Navy to intercept migrant boats crossing the Channel, detain those on board and return them to France or Belgium.

Zia Yusuf, who is also pushing for the UK to leave the ECHR, said his so-called “Operation Fortress” would stop unauthorised boats reaching Britain within its first 100 days in power, alongside a wider programme of detaining and deporting illegal migrants.

However, the Shadow Home Secretary sent a direct message to GB News viewers.

He said: “GB News is a great channel that exposes the truth and directly addresses the issues people care about.

“It’s been another busy year for me, including being shot at by the French in the Channel and tracking down people smugglers on the beaches near Calais – and I am pleased to have been able to share moments like these live on GB News.

“I am looking forward to featuring on Britain's number one news channel more in the coming months.”