Fiona Bruce ripped into a Labour minister over the small boats crisis on BBC Question Time. The moment came as the panel show debated whether Sir Keir Starmer’s “one in, one out” deal with France is working after it emerged that a migrant who was deported has returned to the UK.
An audience member prompted applause when she asked how many gangs had been smashed so far as the Prime Minister has repeatedly pledged. Labour’s Stephen Kinnock said: “I don’t think it would be wise for me on national TV to reveal exactly who we’re going after and how.”
The host jumped in and replied: “But you can admit you don’t know, which I suspect is the answer, isn’t it?”
Mr Kinnock began to say: “As the borders Bill goes through the powers that we’re going to have…”
But the presenter interrupted: “Yes, but it’s a different question. How many gangs have you smashed so far? There’s no reason you can’t reveal that.”
The Labour minister replied: “There have been a number of stories about gangs that we have smashed. We’ve gone after Kurdish gangs, we’ve gone after gangs here in the UK.”
Bruce said: “Stephen is minister for care, in fairness, but I think it’s fair to say you don’t know.”
Mr Kinnock said: “We are beginning to get on top of it, but it’s not something that can be solved overnight.”
Elsewhere during the show, Bruce pressed the Labour minister on a migrant returning to Britain on a small boat after being deported to France under the scheme.
She said: “This cannot be what you envisaged, surely?”