Richard Tice has told the Express he is “delighted” that the BBC is now firing criticism at Reform UK’s migrant plans, as it proves the party is “concerning the establishment”.
Mr Tice said he welcomed the BBC attack (Image: Getty)
In the early hours, BBC Verify – which is frequently accused of political bias – published a piece entitled: “Why UK can’t just return migrants to France, as Reform says”.
It reports that both Nigel Farage and Richard Tice have claimed the UK is legally entitled to intercept migrants crossing the Channel and return them to France, adding: “But BBC Verify has found no evidence that this is the case.”
Two “experts in maritime law” spoken to by the outlet argued that the French would have to give the UK permission to leave migrants on their shores, and that the UK could not return migrants “unilaterally, and without prior agreement with France”.
However Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has now hit back at the BBC, accusing them of “desperately trying to prove me wrong”.
BBC Verify took aim at Reform UK’s policy (Image: BBC)
Blasting them as “muppets”, Mr Tice told the Express: “What this shows is my line is now gaining traction and concerning the establishment.”
“This is the first time the BBC have come after a Reform UK policy, and they wouldn’t be bothering with this if it wasn’t causing panic in the corridors of power.
“I’m delighted the BBC have taken this on.”
He argued that he knows the clauses of the 1982 UN Convention of Law at Sea, and it’s “crystal clear we are legally internationally entitled to pick up and take back.”
Mr Tice said he welcomed the BBC’s scrutiny (Image: Getty)
“France is failing in its legal obligations of picking up and not taking back.
“I’m very happy with my legal advice, but the truth is a good lawyer can argue two sides of the same coin. The BBC have set out to prove me wrong rather than prove me right.
“So what a bold government with the courage of Tony Abbot and the Australians would do is pick up and take back relentlessly for three weeks until it stops. If France disagrees fine, they can take us to an international tribunal, that’ll take a year by which time the crisis is over, it’s stopped, finito.
“This is about courageous leadership.”
In June, Reform UK set out their four-point plan to stop the boats, arguing no other parties have a clear agenda to tackle the crisis.
It includes:
- Leaving the European Convention on Human Rights
- Zero illegal immigrants to be settled in the UK
- A new Department of Immigration
- Picking up illegal migrants at sea and returning them to France
In the latest poll by More in Common, Reform UK had risen to 18%, comfortably ahead of the LibDems and up 3 points thanks to Labour’s growing unpopularity.
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BBC Question Time: Keir Starmer savaged for free gifts ‘hypocrisy’
Sir Keir Starmer was ripped apart on BBC Question Time by a Conservative MP and former minister for his “hypocrisy” in accepting lavish freebies.
Graham Stuart laid into Sir Keir Starmer for accepting thousands of pounds of free gifts (Image: BBC/Getty)
Graham Stuart said the Labour leader was “more pious than the Pope” when in opposition, citing how Sir Keir repeatedly mocked Boris Johnson over donations of wallpaper for redecorating Downing Street.
But the MP for Beverley and Holderness suggested the Prime Minister behaved no better when accepting free gifts of clothing and multiple pairs of glasses worth thousands of pounds from Lord Waheed Alli, a prominent Labour donor.
Sir Keir has denied being the “king of the freebies” after receiving more than £100,000 worth of gifts and donations – more than any other MP and twice the amount of Lucy Powell, the Leader of the House of Commons, who was in second place.
The PM, a keen Arsenal fan, accepted more than £35,000 of free football tickets over the last parliament, alongside other offers of hospitality.
Sir Keir is now facing a standards investigation after failing to declare more than £5,000 of high-end items for his wife, Lady Victoria Starmer.
Mr Stuart said: “Forget the tickets, forget the frocks, forget the spectacles, the suits, and the access for Lord Alli, what really gets in people’s craw … is the hypocrisy.
“Millions of people voted Labour because they did buy that we needed a cleaner politics. They wanted greater propriety. They wanted transparency.
“Instead they have a man who was more pious than the Pope when he was in opposition, and now we’ve gone from pious Keir to graspy Keir.”
Question Time host Fiona Bruce pointed out that Mr Johnson declared donations well over Sir Keir’s level.
Mr Stuart responded by saying: “The public were promised that things would be better.
“Starmer actually said that we need to ensure that people cannot use their office in order to get benefits and open the door to vested interests.”
On the same show, Sir Keir was ridiculed by fellow panellist and columnist Jill Kirby, who claimed Lord Alli “was clearly buying influence” with his donations.
She added: “Keir Starmer does not need to have his clothes bought for him – he should have gone to Specsavers like everyone else.”
Labour grandee and former deputy leader Harriet Harman urged Sir Keir to “deal with the criticism” and admit that such donations were not acceptable.
She said “doubling down” and trying to “justify” the freebies was angering and alienating voters.
