Brexiteer Michelle Dewberry has savaged Nadia Whittome after the Labour MP complained about living conditions for residents of the Bibby Stockholm barge – with the former Apprentice winner snapping: “Give me a break!”
The barge, in Dorset, is being used to house asylum seekers while their claims are processed by the Government.
In a clip shared via Youtube, Ms Whittome, the MP for Nottingham East, said: “I’m back in Parliament after meeting with residents of the Bibby Stockholm.
“Their testimony was emotional and harrowing. The men I met said it felt like living in a prison.”
Speaking to guest Quentin Letts on GB News, presenter Ms Dewberry said: “I mean give me a break.
“If 650 MPs all decide that they want to have a little gander and you are all on board in the interest of scrutiny, it’s is not a tourist destination is it?
“I’ll tell you what annoys me the most. There are people in this country that are absolutely desperate right now.
Ms Dewberry described driving past a homeless person on her way from the studio the day earlier, whom she had stopped to get help for.
She explained: “It was snowing, it was absolutely freezing cold and the guy just had a sleeping bag.”
“I got in touch with this charity StreetLink they are called, great service they do
“So when I see people like that on the streets of Britain, I feel heartbroken.
“Then I cross to a group of people who have proactively made a choice to leave a safe country which is France.”
She claimed: “Lots of them just discard their documents and they make it very difficult for their claims to be protests processed in a timely manner.
“They get given a safe, respectable, decent environment that actually tops a lot of the facilities that many of my viewers at home will have access to.
“They have prompt access to health care, they have leisure facilities, they have mental health support, and they have lots of support care wrapped around them.”
With reference to Ms Whittome and Labour in general she added: “When you then have the audacity to use this as a political football and suggest that those people should somehow be likened to be in prison inmates I think it’s downright offensive to every single person that struggles in this country.
“I would be concerned that the Labour Party will be prioritising the needs of those people that have made that proactive choice.
“And let’s face it, they’re probably a little bit disappointed because the reason that they’ve come is they’ve seen their mate on TikTok broadcasting their four-star hotel and they’re a little bit gutted that they didn’t get the same treatment.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faces a showdown with MPs over his Rwanda Bill when it comes back to the Commons next week.
Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt yesterday confirmed the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill’s committee stage will take place on January 16 and 17.
Mr Sunak is under huge pressure from both sides of his party over the legislation, aimed at overcoming the Supreme Court’s objections to the stalled plan to deport some migrants to the African country.
Right-wing MPs want the controversial legislation to be tightened, while centrist Tories have threatened to oppose the Bill if it risks breaching international law.
Mr Sunak has said he would welcome “bright ideas” on how to improve the Bill, but has also insisted it strikes the right balance with only an “inch” between his rescue plan and more radical measures which would risk Kigali pulling out of the scheme.
