Andrew Pierce has blasted international refugee regulations that may prevent Britain from returning migrants to their home country, stating that the rule is "crazy" and "needs to be updated."
The conversation occurred against a backdrop of escalating Channel crossings, with nearly 900 migrants reaching British shores during the recent bank holiday weekend.
Speaking about ways to tackle the crisis on GB News, co-host Miriam Cates said: "Leaving the ECHR would actually not be enough. We'd have to repeal the Human Rights Act."
Andrew said: "Well, that's what the Tories should have done when they won the election in 2010. But David Cameron absolutely embraced it because he was more Blairite than Blair."
Andrew Pierce said that the rule is 'unpractical' and 'needs an update'
|GB NEWS
Miriam agreed with her fellow presenter and said: "That's right. Same with the Equalities Act. Of course, the Conservatives were in coalition with the Lib Dems, so then it might not have been possible."
Reading out a comment from a GB News viewer she added: "Ray Wadham says 'why do the far left argue that reforming the illegal migrant policy will cost billions? The truth is, it will save money.' Good point. It's going to cost money up front, but it will save money in the long term."
Andrew pointed out: "The other thing we have to come out of is the 1951 Refugee Convention, because that's the one that enshrines in law, you can't send someone back to a country where they could be in peril."
Miriam said: "Which means, in theory, that if the entire population of Afghanistan were to leave right now, no country would be able to send them back."
Andrew fumed: "It is just crazy. Unpractical. It was of its time 1951. These things have got to be updated."
Miriam pointed out: "And here in Britain, we have an incredible human rights record going back many, many centuries. The idea that we didn’t have human rights before those international laws is just not true."
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The latest figures have pushed the total number of arrivals since Labour assumed power in July 2024 past 52,000.
The crossings resumed following a brief respite caused by poor weather conditions in the Channel.
So far in 2025, 28,938 migrants have made the crossing, representing a 50 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024.
This surge amounts to nearly 10,000 more arrivals than the 19,293 recorded at this point last year.
Sir Keir Starmer’s party is facing growing pressure to tackle the small boats crisis | GETTYThe Government's new agreement with France, intended to facilitate the return of migrants, has failed to deliver any results since becoming operational on August 5.
Despite the arrangement being in place for over three weeks, not a single migrant has been sent back across the Channel to France.
During this same timeframe, 3,502 migrants successfully reached UK shores.