ITV GMB outrage over 'deluded' guest's barracks remarks as heated migrant hotel row erupts: 'Talks utter RUBBISH!'

The decision comes after the government pledged to stop relying on asylum hotels to house migrants. Their use is said to have cost billions of pounds, and they've become a focal point for anti-migrant protests.

Mr Abbey appeared opposite former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng to debate the developments, with the show's host Mr Balls kicking things off by asking the pair if they felt it'd be "better" to house asylum seekers in the barracks rather than hotels.

Mr Kwarteng replied first: "So look, this policy was mooted in the last Conservative government and the very people who are now introducing it were dead against it... It's very interesting to me that they're now going back to this policy.

"I think it would garner some support, but we've got to understand where the barracks are. The issues with the hotels are they're very often in the middle of communities that don't want to have hundreds of asylum seekers right in the middle of their towns."

Mr Hawkins then referenced the two aforementioned barracks already earmarked and that 900 migrants could be housed there, although she pointed out that there were 32,000 currently housed in hotels.

After pointing out the "big shortfall", Ms Hawkins then went on to explain that houses of multiple occupancy have also been touted as an alternative.

"That will go down like a lead balloon," Mr Abbey cut in. "Placing desperate people in these hotels in these communities has caused problems; place them in HMOs deeper into the communities is an even worse idea."

"Why is it a worse idea? It makes sense. You've got to do something. The hotels have been a disaster," Mr Kwarteng challenged, to which Mr Abbey responded: "Truth be told, I think when it comes to the barracks and everything else right now, I think it's an indication of the mistakes that we're making. We're increasingly dehumanising these people -"

"You always say this, but how are you gonna deal with the problem?" Mr Kwarteng interrupted. His GMB co-star fired back: "It's the truth! I think we have multiple choices; we can humanise, we can utilise, and we can tax them."

Mr Kwarteng asked Mr Abbey to clarify what he meant by "humanise", to which the political commentator continued: "When you associate them with that level of security threat that you're placing them in a barracks or so, it creates an impression in people's minds that this is the safest place we can put them short of placing them in prison."

"So you think that's worse than placing them in hotels?" Mr Kwarteng pressed. Mr Abbey replied: "It sends a particular message that we are viewing these people not as a potential asset but as a problem, and I just don't view them like that.

"I think the difference between me, you, Ed, Charlotte, and the people in the asylum hotels - and they'll be in the barracks tomorrow - is luck. We're nothing special."

An unimpressed Mr Kwarteng snapped: "You're not dealing with the problem! But what do you actually do with the problem? Thousands are coming to these shores. How do you rehouse them?"

"We have to rethink the problem, and actually look at the benefits that can come out of the problem too," Mr Abbey stated, but Mr Kwarteng continued to press him for actual answers, fuming: "What do you do with them in the meantime? Where do you house them? You're not coming up with any solutions."

Mr Abbey scrambled as he replied: "In the meantime, I think what we should actually do is create some degree of specialised housing somewhere, not a barracks, not somewhere dehumanising, not a barge that you guys came up with, not this dehumanising stuff.

"If the idea right now is that we've made them politically toxic, that we can't place them safely in communities, then we need to find some humanised, specialised housing. We need to humanise and mainstream these people and utilise them."

Ms Hawkins pointed out that Mr Abbey's message was "difficult to land" given the cost-of-living crisis and people's fears about their own housing.

Mr Kwarteng ridiculed Mr Abbey's stance: "I don't even know what he means. The barracks are clear, the hotels are clear, your specialist housing, I've no idea, I don't think you have an idea of what you're thinking about."

Mr Abbey protested that there were underutilised areas in communities that could be used. When Mr Kwarteng pointed out that barracks could fall under that category, Mr Abbey once again claimed they were "dehumanising".

Mr Abbey then suggested: "The key thing for us as a nation is we come to a point where we start re-thinking of these people as people and stop thinking of them as asylum seekers or potential problems. Utilise them, and humanise them, and tax them."

Mr Balls pointed out that those being housed don't have the right to live and work in the UK, at present. "Get the right!" Mr Abbey yelled as Mr Balls and Mr Kwarteng once again pointed out the need to house them while their applications were being processed.

"There are fears of opening the floodgates then," Ms Hawkins weighed in, to which Mr Kwarteng mocked Mr Abbey: "You don't see that as a problem, do you? Everyone who could come should come."

Former Labour politician Mr Balls pointed out that "to infer citizenship before the asylum process" is "basically saying anyone who wants to come here" gets citizenship upon arrival.

Mr Abbey attempted to defend himself: "This is exactly the problem with the politics that we created as a nation. Before 2004 or so, asylum seekers were allowed to work in this country whilst they were still waiting for asylum... We have demonised the asylum seeker in the country to make them a national enemy... These are just desperate people in tough situations."

Mr Kwarteng once again pointed out that Mr Abbey was failing to provide concrete plans for his claims. "You talk about humanise, humanise, we need to talk about practical issues," he highlighted.

Mr Abbey eventually put forward the suggestion: "We can find a way to process these people through the system faster than we're already doing... I don't mean six months or so, I mean a week.

"We hire people to turn this around and we recognise this as a national emergency right now because of the way we're treating these people... We make a decision, either you're staying and you get to work, or alternative measures have to be taken to make sure you're safe or so."

When Mr Kwarteng pointed out he didn't see "any notion that we should stem the flow of people coming to this country" by Mr Abbey, his GMB co-stat delivered a baffling analogy.

"Let me make this as simple for you as I possibly can. A lady's water breaks, and you're driving to the hospital, and you hit a red light. Do you stop at that red light, or do you cross that red light?" Mr Abbey put to the panel.

"I've no idea what you're talking about. What are you talking about?" a puzzled Mr Kwarteng replied, prompting Mr Abbey to try and explain that he was attempting to draw parallels with people in desperate situations and the law.

Following the heated clash between Mr Abbey and Mr Kwarteng, social media was soon awash with disgruntled GMB viewers who slammed the former's stance on the issue.

Many raged at the show itself for giving Mr Abbey the airtime to voice his suggestions, while others took aim at the commentator for his remarks, particularly his absurd parting analogy.

"Why on earth have they got that horrible man Nels Abbey back on? Can’t stand the bloke, he talks utter rubbish #goodmorningbritain #gmb," one X user fumed before a second added: "Who on earth invited this bloke Nels Abbey on there? What an absolute jerk. Get rid!!"

Meanwhile, a third fumed: "Not sure why #GMB wants Nels on the morning show, offers nothing, and sounds a danger to our country. At least Kwasi talks sense and understands the issues."

"Why the f*** do GMB have Nels Abbey on the programme when he appears to want all refugees to stay here indefinitely, whether legal or illegal?!!" a fourth hit out.

"#GMB Nels, the water break analogy is madness," a fifth slammed, while a sixth said: "#Gmb Nels talking c**p as usual, just a headache. Get him off!"

"Nels talking rubbish as per - the left are deluded #GMB," another argued, before an eighth questioned: "Nels you have not got a clue have you? #GMB." (sic)

This isn't the first time Mr Abbey has caused uproar with his GMB performance. He was the subject of hundreds of Ofcom complaints earlier this year for comments about American political commentator Charlie Kirk after his death.