GB News stopped for large replace – it is horrible information for Andy Burnham
GB News halted its broadcasting for breaking updates on a major crisis after a historic record was broken that could spell bad news for new PM Andy Burnham
GB News provided an update which could be a significant setback for new Prime Minister Andy Burnham(Image: AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
GB News interrupted its regular programming for a breaking news update on the UK migrant crisis. Presenters Stephen Dixon and Ellie Costello reported that the largest ever ‘mega-dinghy’ has landed in the UK, carrying 165 illegal migrants.
The development is likely to be a significant setback for new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who has yet to outline a definitive plan to address the escalating number of migrant arrivals.
The presenters sought the opinion of The Critic’s Tom Jones, who said: “Obviously, it’s difficult to know because Andy Burnham has said so far so little about what he’s planning to do in government. I think it’s worth putting this into context.
Presenters Stephen Dixon and Ellie Costello reported that the largest ever ‘mega-dinghy’ has landed in the UK (File image)(Image: Instagram)
“The previous record was set just last week. That was 128 people. One of the great changes that we’ve seen in channel crossings this year is a real material change in the size of the boats. They have got a lot, a lot larger this year.”
Jones also disclosed a new strategy devised by smugglers, who have begun departing for the UK from Belgium to evade Calais, which has become overly congested, reports the Express.
He said: “They’ve also started setting sail from Belgium simply because basically the coasts in France are basically log-jammed. So they are now setting out from Belgium, moving down and making the short crossing from Dover to Calais.
Andy Burnham was accused of saying ‘so little’ about what he’s planning to do to tackle the migrant crisis(Image: Toby Melville/PA Wire)
“But fundamentally, you know, we’ve forgotten about the smash the gang strategy because the spotlight has swung off it as we started talking about Shabhana Mahmood immigration reforms.
“But I think the government, I think Burnham is going to have to look again at this because the strategy is clearly not working”.
Costello asked: “Is this what the human trafficking gangs are going to exploit now, these so-called mega dinghies? Obviously, for them it’s more efficient, isn’t it? Getting more people onto one boat.”
Jones said: “Well, I think the ‘smash the gang’ strategy was an attempt to make this a problem of organised crime and blame the people smugglers alone in order to basically pass some reforms that they could get past the Labour backbenches.
“[That was] rather than addressing the actual pull factors that are bringing people here, which is frankly an overly generous settlement.”
