A GB News presenter is facing criticism after he claimed asylum seekers should be forced into unpaid work when they come to the UK.
Andrew Pierce appeared on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday morning to discuss Rishi Sunak’s flagship Rwanda bill.
The Prime Minister is facing a growing rebellion over his plan, with a number of MPs saying they would be backing amendments to the legislation.
#GMB
— Martin Burslam 🕷 🟨🟥 🇵🇸 🇿🇦 (@NeonLuvBar) January 16, 2024
Watch @toryboypierce Andrew Pierce arguing for asylum seekers to be forced to do unpaid work.#ToryChaos #GeneralElectionNow #ToryFascistDictatorship #SlaveLabour pic.twitter.com/6LgWIalm5i
Speaking about asylum seekers on the programme, Pierce said: “They go into a hotel. They get board and lodge. They get a bit of money. I would make them work. I would make them work in return for their board and lodge. They have to work.
“They wouldn’t get a wage. That would be in return for their board and lodge.”
A number of people took to social media to call out Pierce for his comments with one suggesting he was “advocating for the return of slavery”.
Another user described the comments as “disgusting” while a third said it was “embarrassing” to watch.
READ MORE: Scottish independence: Alba challenge SNP to back referendum bill
Others meanwhile called for Good Morning Britain to “stop giving Andrew Pierce a platform”.
This isn't the first time Pierce has come in for criticism for his comments, with a refugee charity previously slamming his call for migrant children to be placed in "secure camps".
Pierce added that the Government “has to try something because nothing else is working” and that the Tories had “got it wrong” on immigration.
Sunak (below) is currently battling to quell Tory dissent as more than 60 right-wing MPs have backed amendments seeking to beef up the bill, which returns to the House of Commons on Tuesday for six hours of debate and voting.
However, any attempt to placate the rebels is likely to be opposed by more moderate Tories, who want to ensure that international law is respected.
The latest amendments, tabled by former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, aim to disapply international law from the bill and severely limit individual asylum seekers’ ability to appeal against being put on a flight to Kigali.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel