‘Absolutely LUDICROUS!’ Moment GB News row erupts as guest accuses Alex Armstrong of ‘most xenophobic speech in the history of British broadcasting’

The total represents a near 50 per cent increase since 2022, and Armstrong was furious about “hardworking taxpayers in this country being expected to fork out”.

He said: “This is a country, not a refugee camp, not a holiday park for the world’s useless people.”

Armstrong called for deportations “like every other sane-minded country around the world”.

Crick took serious issue with the rant, branding it “xenophobic” and “nasty”.

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Asked what in particular he struggled to swallow, he said: “I have to say that your rant was probably the most xenophobic in British broadcast history.

“It was vile. It made Nick Griffin and the BNP [British National Party] look like moderates.”

“What an absolutely ludicrous, ridiculous statement”, said Armstrong. “Let’s look at the facts, Michael. You’re so out of touch.”

Crick said: “Three quarters of them are people who came here under the Brexit settlement. You’re proposing to deport them, are you?”

Armstrong responded: “Any sane country around the world. If you go to America and run out of money, you are deported. What is wrong with that?”

Crick argued many of those on Universal Credit are in fact working but need to claim money in order to keep up with the cost of living.

“Not everybody in this country works. There may be all sorts of reasons why not. You have hundreds of thousands of people here as migrants, under settled status, as part of our Brexit agreement, in the same way there are British people working in Europe under the same agreement”, he said.

“What are you going to do? Round these people up with machine guns?”

Armstrong appeared exasperated, saying such a scheme would be ridiculous and they should simply be sent back.

“Not necessarily”, Crick hit back. He argued Armstrong would preside over a “xenophobic regime” were he in charge.

Bev and Ben react to nearly 1.3 million migrants claiming Universal Credit in Britain, branding it 'deeply embarrassing' for the Government

“You would say, ‘you can’t afford to work here, you’re having to claim Universal Credit, out’”, he said.

“Yes, I do believe that”, Armstrong said.

Data shows nearly eight million people received Universal Credit in June, 83.6 per cent of whom were British and Irish nationals.

More than a million claimants were born overseas, including around 700,000 EU citizens who arrived in the UK before Brexit.

Under the terms of the Brexit agreement, they have the right to live and work in the UK.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the Prime Minister is keen to see the number of unemployed foreign nationals claiming benefits to go down.

They insisted the Government was “toughening up the system” by doubling the time a migrant has to wait before qualifying for permanent, or settled, status in the UK.