Top Tory MP Lee Anderson has scoffed at the idea Labour will cut migration if they win the next General Election.
On his GB News Show, ‘Lee Anderson’s Real World’, the Tory deputy chairman was joined by broadcaster, Paula London, and Brent North Labour MP, Barry Gardiner.
Lee Anderson’s remarks were in response to the round table discussion held on UK net migration hitting a “new record high”.
Mr Gardiner said: “In the 13 years of a Labour Government, net migration went up by four million. In the thirteen years of a Conservative Government, it has gone up by six million. If you’re worried about net migration – the math would suggest vote Labour.”
Following up on the remarks Mr Anderson was quick to retort: “There’ll be plenty of people who are at home watching this who will spit their tea out.”
He added: “He created that culture, didn’t he, Tony Blair, of opening the borders up and letting everybody in, it’s not been rosy over the past 13 years.”
During the Real World show, Mr Gardiner pushed back: “Your party, promised to bring the figures down and they haven’t. They’ve gone up.”
Mr Anderson replied: “Will the Labour Party bring them down?” This was followed by a “yes” from the opposing MP.
Opening the floor for discussion, Mr Anderson said: “I believe the brightest and best in this world, are in his country. In this country is a doctor and a brain surgeon.”
Mr Gardiner explained: “We should be training more people in this country to do the jobs so we are not depleting other countries of their best minds.”
Meanwhile, Downing Street declared the UK was “bucking the trend of what we are seeing in Europe, where crossings are up significantly”.
Small boat crossings were down by 36 percent last year, with provisional annual statistics showing 29,437 arrived, compared with 45,755 in 2022.
The Home Secretary, James Cleverly, said the decrease was due to cooperation with Europe, disrupting the supply chain of engines and boats and “going after the money of these people smugglers”.
Asked what he believed constituted success in 2024, Mr Cleverly said: “My target is to bring it down to zero. I’m completely committed.
“My target is to reduce it to zero, to stop the boats, and I’m unambiguous about that.”
